


Marooned Together

by E350tb



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Almost Comically Slow Burn, Angst, F/F, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Slow Burn, very slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2019-05-04 11:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 45
Words: 86,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14591640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E350tb/pseuds/E350tb
Summary: Lapis' past comes crashing back to her once more.





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One  
**

It wasn't a bad place for a new home, all things considered.

The planet was covered in ocean, the sky almost the same brilliant blue of Earth. The vista from the old command post was stunningly beautiful, especially when the sun was setting. It should have been lovely, but for Lapis it was a painful reminder of a world she'd never see again.

The barn was gone - it had been washed into the sea by a storm at the end of the first month. All that remained were a few of the strange human trinkets and the remains of one or two morps. In a way, it was a blessing - it meant she didn't have to be so viscerally reminded of Peridot’s absence every day. As time went by, she settled into the old command post - a simple dome building with a single room, with massive panoramic windows overlooking the sea and the shore of the island. She decorated it with little trinkets she found on the beach and in the trees - she made herself at home.

Yeah. She could work this. She could start anew. And as the years went by, she began to calm down, to rebuild.

It all changed when the pod crashed down in the sea.

Lapis had panicked at first - it must have come from the Diamonds, right? But as the minutes passed and no-one emerged, she calmed down and went to look.

The pod was pure blue, decorated with the sigil of the Great Diamond Authority. When she pressed her hands to it, it opened up like a strange, egg-shaped music box, revealing the form of the occupant.

Lapis gasped.

Stevonnie was slumped in the seat, covered in cuts and bruises. Their shirt and pants were ripped and ragged, and blood was trickling out of their mouth. Frantically, Lapis checked their gem - she sighed in relief to find it wasn't cracked.

“Don't worry, Steven,” she reassured, “I'll help you, I promise, just hold on...”

She had to get them ashore - that much was easy. With a simple gesture, the pod was lifted up by the waters around, slowly and carefully carried ashore. Once it was safely on dry land, Lapis carefully pulled Stevonnie out, gingerly carrying them into the command post and setting them down.

“Okay, okay, how do I fix humans?” she asked herself, “Uh, bandaids, I need bandaids...what does a bandaid even _do?_ Uh...um…”

Suddenly, Stevonnie coughed, spluttered and opened their eyes.

“Steven!” exclaimed Lapis.

“Lapis?” groaned Stevonnie.

“I don't know how to fix you!” exclaimed Lapis, “I don't...I can't…”

Stevonnie coughed again. Trickles of spit landed on one of their cuts, and with a pink glow it was suddenly healed.

_Oh yeah. The healing spit._

Lapis held her hand over Stevonnie’s mouth and let them cough into it, wincing at the slimy feel of the spit. Wasting no time, she rubbed her hand over as many of their wounds as she could find - slowly, each of them was healed, until at last they looked at least somewhat less battered.

Stevonnie nodded weakly - then their head fell back and they passed out.

Lapis rubbed a hand through her hair, trying to calm herself. It looked like her quiet life was once again over.

* * *

Stevonnie slept for two days. During that time, Lapis never left their side, constantly pacing in worry.

When they awoke, they said nothing - they simply looked up at Lapis, tried and failed to smile, and curled up against the wall. They didn't move for a long time.

A day passed. Lapis noticed fuzz growing on their face - it looked like the stuff on Greg (a ‘beard’, right?). When she pointed it out, they said nothing - but they winced when she mentioned Steven’s father.

On the fourth night, they fell asleep. Lapis watched them - she wondered if she was being creepy, but it had been so long since she'd had company. She wanted them to talk to her, to tell her how the Gems were, how Peridot was. Why weren't they talking? Weren't they happy to see her?

Who was she kidding, she thought. Who'd be happy to see a wreck like her?

She was shaken from her train of thought by a frantic moaning.

Stevonnie was jerking violently in their sleep, sweat streaming down their face. Slowly, Lapis approached - where they having a nightmare?

“...no, not them...not mom and dad…” Stevonnie whimpered, “Please…”

“Steven?” whispered Lapis.

“...I'm sorry dad, I'm sorry, I tried, it's my fault...it's all my fault…”

“Steven?” Lapis said again.

Gingerly, she poked Stevonnie’s shoulder.

Stevonnie jerked upright and screamed.

They grabbed Lapis, pulling her into a hug as they sobbed bitterly into her shoulder. Awkwardly, Lapis patted their back - that was what she was supposed to do, right?

“It was just a dream,” she said, “It was just a…”

“I should have listened to you!” sobbed Stevonnie, “We couldn't fight them! We _couldn't!_ And dad...it's my fault, it's _my fault_ …”

Lapis’ eyes widened.

“The Diamonds came?” she exclaimed, “But...Peridot! The Crystal Gems…”

“Gone,” replied Stevonnie, “They took them back to Homeworld, they're probably shattered, it's all my fault…”

Lapis turned pale.

“Are...are you saying…”

Stevonnie sat up and looked Lapis in the eye.

“The Rebellion’s over,” they replied, “We lost.”

They choked as they forced out their next words

“The Earth is _gone_.”

They fell back into Lapis’ arms, their violent sobbing starting up once more. All Lapis could do was listen in stunned silence.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this seems to be taking off well. Better continue it!

**Chapter Two**

The sun came up the next morning just as it always had.

Lapis sat on the beach, gazing out to sea. She had sat here for a long time - part of her felt bad for leaving Stevonnie alone in the command post, but she desperately needed to be alone right now. She felt deeply unpleasant - perhaps this was what humans meant when they said that they felt ‘sick to the stomach.’ She rubbed her hands through the sand - sometimes that calmed her down, but today that simply wasn’t working.

Earth was gone. She still couldn’t wrap her head around it - the idea that Beach City and the surrounding countryside, that the big ocean and the blue skies and the beautiful cities and Jersey - all of it had just been _erased_. She’d never see it again.

She’d always hoped to go back one day, even it she’d never expected to do so.

The idea that the Diamonds had the Gems made her skin crawl. She imagined Peridot, locked up in some prison cell on a Homeworld warship, curled up in the corner. Maybe she’d be brought to trial, made an example of and destroyed in public. Maybe she’d be enslaved on some mining colony (Lapis had once heard rumours that Gem criminals were made to work in such places, although she didn’t know if she believed them). Most likely she’d just been ground into dust under the boot of an Agate like a common criminal, never to be thought of again.

She hated not knowing, but she truly did not want to know the truth.

The same thought ran over and over through her head. _What now?_

It would have been less complicated if she was alone - she would have been free to break down for as long as she needed, to give up on the wider universe and focus in on herself. But now Stevonnie was here. And while running off on them wouldn’t have been anything particularly new, something within her told her not to do it - not this time. But why, she wondered? What was so different about now?

_I’m all they have left._

That was it, wasn’t it? Lapis was the last person in the universe Stevonnie had - and on the flip side, Stevonnie was all that Lapis had left, too. If she left, she’d doom both of them to eternal loneliness.

Maybe it was time to stop running.

She heard footsteps in the sand. She looked back - Stevonnie was walking up to her. They looked tired and worn, the lines of dried-up tears running down their cheeks. Delicately, as if they feared causing Lapis to run, they sat down next to her.

For a long time, there was total silence.

“Steven,” said Lapis at last, “So you're fused with Connie, right?”

Stevonnie nodded.

“We’re Stevonnie,” they replied.

“Can you unfuse?”

“Yes.”

“Will you?”

Stevonnie bit their lip.

“Not right now,” they replied.

Lapis nodded.

“Stevonnie,” she whispered, rolling the word over her tongue.

For a brief, dark moment, she pictured Malachite in her mind and shivered. No, she thought to herself, Steven and Connie aren't like me and Jasper, they're different…

“How did it happen?” asked Lapis.

She cursed herself almost immediately. They didn't need this right now! Why would she…

“The Cluster,” replied Stevonnie, “They unbubbled it. It broke the Earth apart.”

Lapis’ eyes widened.

“What did it look like?” she gasped.

“ _Big_.”

It was clear Stevonnie did not want to describe it further, so Lapis dropped the subject.

“How did they take Peridot?” she asked quietly.

Stevonnie breathed in and out, closing their eyes.

“Garnet, Pearl and Bismuth tried to hold Yellow off,” they replied, “We were helping evacuate Beach City. But she just...she just poofed them like they were nothing. We never got time…”

They clenched their fists, their breathing becoming more erratic.

“She didn't care who was in the way,” they continued, “She just...ripped right through the evacuation. Amethyst got poofed trying to protect Peridot, and...and mom and my dads tried to reason with her…”

They grit their teeth.

“We should've used the breaking point.”

They covered their mouth immediately and looked deeply ashamed at what they had said. Lapis didn't quite get that. If shattering Yellow might have saved the Earth…

“We surrendered to save the town,” continued Stevonnie, “They took us onto Blue’s ship...and Blue made me watch...made me watch the Cluster…Lapis, I thought I'd saved them…”

They stopped themself and took a deep breath. Lapis heard them sing quietly under their breath - _here comes a thought…_

"We got lead away,” they continued, “But Amethyst reformed and fought back. Last thing I remember, they shoved me into that pod. But there were citrines and agates everywhere, and…”

“They got recaptured,” nodded Lapis.

“I'm pretty sure, yeah.”

There was a long silence.

“So we're it,” said Lapis, “Just us. Alone.”

“Yup.”

Lapis sighed.

“I should've stayed.”

“What was that?” asked Stevonnie.

“I should've _stayed!_ ” shouted Lapis, “I got so caught up in how scared _I_ was and what _I_ needed that I wasn't around when you and Peridot needed me! And now she's probably been shattered and Earth is gone and everything's ruined! Why didn't I stay, Stevonnie? Why was I such a _coward?_ ”

She broke down, burying her face in her hands as she burst into tears.

“Hey, Lapis, come here…”

Stevonnie pulled Lapis into a tight hug, rubbing her back soothingly as they too began to tear up. For a long time, they sat on the beach, letting everything out.

Eventually, they broke the hug and stared out to sea once more.

“Are you okay?” asked Stevonnie.

“No,” replied Lapis, “You?”

“Nope.”

Lapis chuckled bitterly. Stevonnie ran a hand over their face, feeling the small hairs on their skin.

“Getting hairy,” they noted, “You didn't have a razor in the barn, did you?”

“What's a razor?” asked Lapis.

“Eh, I'll know it if I find one,” shrugged Stevonnie, “Hey Lapis?”

“Hmm?”

"I know everything’s messed up right now,” they said, “But it's still really good to see you again.”

Lapis smiled.

"You too, Steve... _Stevonnie_. You too.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's been a good day for writing. I did a lot of work on this and Ruby Stars, and got a start on...uh...a third project I've been planning for a while. It's something of a oneshot anthology, that's all I'm saying.
> 
> Thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading!

**Chapter Three**

When the storm washed away the barn, Lapis had grabbed everything she could from it in an absolute panic. As a result, she had ended up with a rather quixotic collection of trinkets, possession and, in more than a few cases, plain junk. These had been gathered in a small cave a few hundred metres from the sea, and for the most part, Lapis was content to leave them there.

Now, she found herself back in the cave, watching Stevonnie dig through a box of random items. She’d tried to help a little, but after being informed that a pencil, a rubber band and a broken keytar were not in fact razors, she decided to sit it out.

“This might work.”

Stevonnie pulled out a strange black object with a metal end. They turned it around and opened a port at the back.

“Hmm... needs batteries,” they said to themself.

They put it aside and began digging again.

“Why don’t you just let the... fuzzy stuff grow?” asked Lapis, “I mean, you do that on your head…”

“I let it grow on my head because I don’t wanna be bald,” replied Stevonnie, “Facial hair’s different.”

“So you want to be face-bald?”

For a moment, Stevonnie seemed to show a ghost of a smile. Lapis frowned - that wasn’t supposed to be a joke…

Their expression darkened.

“I don’t want to be reminded of _them_ when I look at my reflection,” they said.

“You mean…” Lapis racked her brain, trying to remember Steven’s dad’s name. “Greg, right?”

Stevonnie nodded, pulling a pack of batteries out of the box.

“And my other dad,” they said, “Doug. He had a sort-of beard, and…”

They said nothing, carefully inserting some batteries into the black object. They pressed a button and it began to buzz.

“I’m never gonna see them again, Lapis,” they said bitterly, “Why hurt myself thinking about them?”

Lapis nodded. That made sense - she often tried to forget Peridot. But then, she always came back, no matter how hard Lapis tried - and sometimes that was okay. Sometimes they were good memories, comforting memories. Would it be worth losing those to get rid of the pain of knowing she’d never see her again?

She thought she should say something, but decided against it. No sense getting Stevonnie upset with her.

For a minute or so, she watched Stevonnie run the object up and down their face, the removed hairs wafting gently to the ground. Then, suddenly, they winced and dropped the device, clutching the side of their face.

“Argh!”

“Stevonnie!” exclaimed Lapis, quickly darting over to them, “What happened? Did it attack you or something?”

“Stupid shaver cut my skin,” replied Stevonnie, withdrawing their hand. Lapis could see a small, dripping red spot on their skin.

“Oh,” said Lapis, “Uh, well, you can heal that, right? You can…”

Stevonnie buried their head in their hands, their chest heaving. Lapis swallowed - they were crying again.

“I-It’s just a cut, isn’t it?” she replied, “It’s gonna heal…”

“It’s not about the stupid cut!” exclaimed Stevonnie, “It’s... it’s... I can’t even explain it. Why am I still crying?!”

Lapis bit her lip.

“Maybe... maybe it’s because you’re still sad,” she suggested, sitting down carefully against the uneven stones below. “Because, you wanna go home,” she continued nervously, “Just like I wanna go home. But we can’t. We’re stuck here.”

“But I don’t want to be stuck here,” replied Stevonnie, “I... I want my _family_ back, Lapis…”

They took a deep breath and rubbed their arm over their eyes.

“... I don’t wanna forget them,” they said, “I don’t wanna stop thinking about them... but I don’t wanna hurt anymore…”

They took another few deep breaths, carefully timing them, one after the other.

“I think... I think I wanna go back to the beach now,” they said.

Lapis nodded wordlessly.

* * *

It had been a while since Lapis had set up the hammock. It sat in the cave with the other miscellaneous human objects for years - it had felt so much like a barn thing, and with the barn gone…

But Stevonnie couldn’t keep sleeping on the floor - apparently that gave humans back problems. So, up the hammock went, hanging from a few strong branches she had found along the edge of the beach. It seemed sturdy enough to hold their weight.

The sun was down now, the only light was the hazy orange glow of an old lantern. Lapis sat on the floor next to the hammock, reading an old magazine. She’d read this one many times, but it was a particular favourite - she liked the pictures.

“Have you ever explored this planet?” asked Stevonnie.

Lapis looked up at them. They were staring at the ceiling, and they looked like they were deep in thought.

“Not much,” replied Lapis, “I’ve always stuck around here. I’m not even sure what the Diamonds used this planet for.”

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“ _Although_ ,” she said, “I _did_ see a tower on the other side of the island. You can’t see it from here because there’s a hill in the way, but…”

“You wanna go check it out?”

Stevonnie was leaning over the side of the hammock now, looking down at Lapis.

“... I... I guess we could,” replied Lapis, “I mean, it... it might be dangerous, but I guess with the two of us…”

She’d never actually considered exploring the tower. It wasn’t one she recognised - it was probably either very late Era-1 or very early Era-2, when she had been trapped in the mirror. Come to think of it, she’d never actually left the island - there was a whole world out there she hadn’t seen. Maybe now it was time to finally take a look?

“Can we do it tomorrow?” asked Stevonnie.

“I…”

Anything could go wrong. They could find some kind of killer robonoid, or a Homeworld death squad could warp in, or they could be crushed by a collapsing roof, or they’d find out some other terrible thing that the Diamonds had done, or they’d accidentally summon them, or-

“Okay.”

Lapis covered her mouth, surprised at her response. Okay? No, it was not okay, she couldn’t…

For the first time since they’d crashed onto the island, Stevonnie smiled. Lapis cursed internally - she definitely couldn’t say no _now_ , could she?

Lapis swallowed and nodded.

“Okay,” she said again, “Let’s... let’s do it. It’ll... it’ll be fun! ...Well, maybe, I don’t…”

She lay on her back and stared at the ceiling.

What had she gotten herself into?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofing this!

**Chapter Four**

The tower was no architectural masterpiece. To call it a tower at all almost seemed generous - really, it resembled a gigantic, grey monolith more than anything, wide and thin with a pointed top. There were no windows and no decorations; it was as utilitarian as Homeworld ever got. A faded marking over the massive front door indicated that it had been built before the demise of Pink Diamond.

Lapis landed at the front of the building and sniffed the air.

“I  _ think _ it’s some kind of mining station,” she said.

“How do you know?” asked Stevonnie, letting go of her and stepping onto the slightly marshy ground.

“The air smells a little metallic,” replied Lapis.

They walked over to the door. It was largely overgrown with vines and brambles that almost resembled a lumpy green carpet - there was a small hole in the side; a thick branch had grown through the top and prevented the door from fully closing. The gap seemed just big enough to squeeze through.

“You still wanna go in?” asked Lapis.

Stevonnie nodded, and so they did.

The room that awaited them was still lit by dim, flickering lights on the walls. It was perhaps the size of a baseball field, and the roof was at least ten stories high - although the darkness made it hard to tell. It was lined with long, metal pillars, about as thick as an oak tree, that ran across the floor and into dark tunnels on the right hand side of the room. Small vehicles which resembled mine carts sat on them - plants and bushes enveloped most of the carts, their viney tendrils crawling over and around the sides and wheels. At the end of the room was a small, blue door with a faded inscription written above it.

“You know what that says?” asked Stevonnie, pointing to it.

“Outfitting,” replied Lapis, “But that can't be right. Gems make their own tools and clothing, they wouldn't need to…”

A distorted voice suddenly blared from an unseen speaker.

“ _ Welcome to Mine No. 38914-XB. All Era-2 Gems, please proceed immediately to Outfitting to be issued with your mining equipment. Thank you for your cooperation. _ ”

The Outfitting door slid open. Lapis and Stevonnie exchanged glances.

The Outfitting Room was small and surprisingly bright. It consisted of two small booths - they were labelled as ‘tools’ and ‘uniform’. The former had been filled with soil and rubble, but the latter seemed in good-enough working order. Nestled between the booths was a big computer panel, not unlike the ones on the moon, which was somewhat weathered- it seemed fairly basic, with a flickering holographic interface above it.

“ _ Welcome. Please input your approved uniform design. Unapproved garments will incur punishment. _ ”

A plain black jumpsuit appeared on the screen, surrounded by a variety of menus and sliders.

“It's… a clothing designer?” Stevonnie said incredulously.

“Yeah,” replied Lapis, reading a few of the onscreen tooltips, “I guess it creates a uniform from a ‘light-based nanofibre’, so that gems that can't shapeshift can have an ‘environment-resistant and easily identifiable uniform’ for work in the mines.”

There was a long pause.

“Wanna play around with it?” asked Stevonnie.

“Okay.”

* * *

“ _ Uniform application complete. Report to your station immediately. _ ”

The booth opened and Stevonnie stepped out. They smiled and twirled around, showing off their new outfit to Lapis.

It was a pink jumpsuit, slightly unzipped at the front and relatively high collared, with long black gloves that stretched above the elbows and ankle-high boots. Emblazoned on the front were a series of yellow lines and stripes that closely resembled a star, underneath which was a patch of grey that ended at their belt. There was a small hole in this grey patch for Stevonnie’s gem. A hint of a blue undershirt could just about be seen under the collar, just where it had been unzipped.

Lapis nodded.

“That… that looks pretty good,” she complimented, “I like it.”

“You sure?” replied Stevonnie, “Definitely not too Space-Lord or anything?”

“I don't know what that is,” said Lapis, “But it suits you.”

Stevonnie smiled again.

“Thanks,” they replied, “It beats wearing rags, anyway. So, what else can we explore around here…”

* * *

“So what do you think they were digging up here, anyway?”

Stevonnie and Lapis crept carefully through a deep, dark mining tunnel. It was just tall enough to walk through, and just wide enough for one of the carts - Stevonnie had to crouch slightly, and Lapis was unable to walk beside them, instead having to follow behind. The air was cold and damp, droplets of water dripping from the uneven roof. The fusion had taken out a flashlight that they’d found among Lapis’ human stuff - it wasn’t the best light in the world, but it was light nonetheless.

“I’m not sure,” replied Lapis, “It’d have to be something rare and delicate - otherwise they probably would’ve just stripmined this place like they do with the other mining planets.”

“Stripmined?” Stevonnie seemed to think for a moment, then nodded to themselves. “So they’d just rip off the planet’s surface and take the minerals?” they quizzed.

“Yeah,” nodded Lapis, “It’s easier.”

“Did you ever help with that?” asked Stevonnie.

Lapis shook her head.

“No,” she replied, “But I remember meeting other Lapis Lazulis who did.”

“Other Lapises?” Stevonnie gasped and put their hands on their cheeks, stars in their eyes. “Did you have a  _ family? _ ”

Lapis snorted.

“You don’t have families on Homeworld, Stevonnie,” she replied, “The Diamonds don’t like it when we...  _ socialise _ .”

Stevonnie frowned.

“It’s for the best,” shrugged Lapis, “Means I never had anyone to miss when I was in the mirror.”

They walked onwards, silent for some time. Stevonnie scratched their arm.

Eventually, they spotted an abandoned mine cart along their path. Lapis stopped next to it and carefully stuck her hand in it, sweeping up some of the grains at the bottom with her finger. She looked closely at the grains and nodded.

“It’s Gold,” she said, “Huh. I didn’t know Homeworld still used it.”

“Wouldn’t they use it for money?” asked Stevonnie.

Lapis pursed her lips. “Money?” 

“You know,” shrugged Stevonnie, “To... buy stuff?”

Lapis stared blankly.

“The only thing Homeworld used gold for was computers, I think,” replied Lapis, “And that was a  _ long _ time ago.”

“Maybe that’s why they closed this place?” suggested Stevonnie, “They got new computers.”

They wandered further down the tunnel, leaving the old cart far behind.

Lapis thought to herself as they wandered further down the tunnel. She had been reluctant to explore the rest of the island or the planet, but now that she was actually here, she felt a strange, calming sense of nostalgia. It was actually quite nice to be back among the world she had once known, long ago, even if it was dilapidated and abandoned.

“You know,” said Lapis, “I think I’m actually glad we came…”

* * *

After their moderately successful excursion in the tunnels, the pair began probe further into their private little world. Soon, their small expansionist curiosities turned from hours to days, and then days became weeks. A month passed sooner than either of them could have predicted.

Stevonnie ventured out every day to explore more and more of the island, and most of the time Lapis would accompany them. She was surprised at how much of it she'd never known about it. It was abundant with citrusy fruit that Stevonnie compared to ‘oranges’. It was inhabited by small, brilliantly coloured birds that lived in the inland trees, and the lands were carved by rivers and streams and waterfalls. She'd never quite appreciated how beautiful it all could be.

This wasn't, of course, to say that everything was now okay. The nights tended to be hard - either Stevonnie would have a nightmare or Lapis would, and there were still many, many tears to be shed. Earth was still gone, and it hurt so much, but it felt like they could at least confide their pains in each other.

It was at the end of the first month that Stevonnie confessed the reason the Diamonds had taken them.

“... Please don't be mad,” they said, shaking as they sat in the hammock. It was long after sundown, and their words seemed heavy and burdened by guilt. They had just woken from another nightmare. “But I don't want to keep this a secret from you.”

“Stevonnie?” Lapis replied worriedly.

“...Mom - Steven’s mom - was Pink Diamond.”

There was a long, empty silence. Rose Quartz… was Pink Diamond? There were well over a dozen reasons that was ridiculous, and yet, Lapis felt her lip curl uncomfortably even by the suggestion. It couldn't be true. It  _ couldn't _ be true.

“Lapis?” said Stevonnie, their voice shaking.

Lapis did the last thing they'd expected her to do.

She  _ laughed _ .

Stevonnie watched in confusion as the blue gem lay on her back, practically cackling at the utter preposterousness of it all.  _ Of course that would happen _ , she thought,  _ Imprisoned for five thousand years because of a war in which both sides were led by the same gem. Typical. _

She finally stopped laughing, a pang of guilt tensing her muscles when she looked up at Stevonnie’s worried expression. She sighed.

“Sorry,” she said, “It's just… it's ridiculous. All this time, we've thought…”

“Yeah, I know,” replied Stevonnie, “I thought that too. I mean, the entire war… I thought it was against Pink Diamond for so long, and then it turned out it  _ was _ Pink Diamond… ”

They rubbed their head. “I still have trouble getting my head around it.”

Lapis nodded.

“So,” she said, ‘I guess I just wanna know... how?”

Stevonnie explained it all - Steven’s trial on Homeworld, their vision on the Jungle Moon, and coming full circle to Steven’s journey into Pearl’s gem. They described the last conversation between Pearl and Pink before the end of Pearl’s memory - the final gag order, the shapeshifting, the faked shattering.

A few times, they stopped and cried. Lapis couldn't help but look away when this happened - watching them cry made her feel deeply uncomfortable.

At last, the fusion finished their take.

“Stevonnie?” Lapis said.

“Yeah?”

“Your mom  _ sucks _ .”

There was a long pause, and Lapis mentally kicked herself. She knew she'd said the wrong thing. What was she thinking, how could she…?

At last, Stevonnie laughed - not a chuckle, but a deep belly laugh that rocked the hammock. Before long, Lapis had joined in their infectious mirth, and they both giggled until they cried, long and hard in the dark, old command post.

“Lapis,” Stevonnie said once their hysterics died down, “I'm so glad you're here.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofing this!

**Chapter Five**

“You know you've been fused for six months, right?”

Stevonnie looked up from the fruit they were eating, and Lapis wondered if she had said something wrong.

They were sitting on the beach after another day’s exploring - although now that they'd seen most of the island, they'd really just been taking a long hike. It had been mostly uneventful, but Stevonnie had gathered a nice stock of food to keep them going for the next few weeks. Now they were seated around a fire the fusion had started, watching the sun go down.

Stevonnie swallowed their mouthful and smiled.

“Yeah,” they nodded, “Guess that means I’m halfway to my anniversary.”

Lapis rubbed her arm.

“So you’re just... _not_ gonna unfuse?” asked Lapis, “You're just gonna stay like that forever?”

Stevonnie frowned. “Does it matter?”

 _Did it matter?_ Lapis tried to tell herself it didn’t - that everything was fine. But there was a dark part of herself that emerged every now and then who looked at Stevonnie and saw echoes of someone else. Not Steven and Connie, but someone much more destructive and  and angry; someone she had once been...

“No! No!” Lapis replied, raising her hands, “I-I-I just... I... I'm sorry, I…”

She crafted her next sentence carefully, trying hard not to upset the fusion. What if she said it wrong, and they got angry and left her on her own? She couldn’t abide by that again.

“...I'm just worried,” she said, “I want to make sure you're okay.”

Stevonnie furrowed their brow.

“I'm _fine_ ,” they said firmly, “Nothing is wrong. I'm fused because I _want_ to be fused, Lapis.”

They stood up and began to walk back to the command post.

“I was hoping you'd understand that by now,” they muttered as they left.

Lapis buried her head in her hands. That hadn't gone well. In trying to preserve their feelings, she ended up hurting them anyway; that was just typical, wasn't it? _Good old Lapis fails again_.

Her mind fell back to when she'd left Earth, long ago - when Peridot had told her that she'd often lied to avoid hurting her feelings.

_Is this how she felt, way back then?_

Lapis sighed and lay on her back, staring at the evening sky. She stayed there for some time, watching the sun go down and the stars appear in the night sky.

The planet was similar to Earth - the sun was about the same colour and about the same distance from the planet, for instance. Sunset, however, was quite different. The sunset was tinged slightly bluish green that grew in brilliance as the sun slowly went down. Eventually, the moon would appear - light green and somewhat misshapen compared the moon she’d once taken refuge on - a big crater spoilt it’s otherwise perfectly spherical shape. A far smaller moon, perhaps the chunk broken off by whatever made that crater, orbited around it. On some nights, you couldn’t even see it; on others, it stood in front of it’s bigger counterpart - but they were always together, sailing through space in perfect harmony. Almost like a cosmic fusion…

It was a beautiful sight, and it helped to calm Lapis’ thoughts.

It was ridiculous to worry, she told herself, just as she had time and time again. Stevonnie wasn’t Malachite. Steven was fine. Everything was _fine._

Eventually, she closed her eyes. Perhaps things might be better in the morning…

* * *

Morning came slow and steady for Lapis, but it was oddly peaceful. She kept her lids closed for a short time, studying the grains of sand as they brushed against her form, or the delicate curves and crashed of the waves at sea. It was unusually warm, she noted, for a planet that had turned out to be pleasantly temperate, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Indeed, it almost reminded her of simpler times, happier times, with the cries of seagulls and the familiar giggle of a small human at her side. Or, better yet, on her best days, she would walk side-by-side with her small green friend and her small pale human, laughing in time with the pace of the oceans beside them.

It didn’t take long for the feelings to turn bittersweet, so Lapis shifted in the sand and lifted herself up by her elbows. Heavy eyes, she blinked slowly, finding focus on a grand monolith of stone in the shape of… a fusion…? But, no - that’s silly - that would mean there was a house at the base…

And so it was. Steven’s home. Blinking, the scene changed, shifted, and she was inside the house.

She sat up, startled. Surely she couldn't be in Beach City! It had been destroyed with Earth, right? How could she be here? But there it was, plain as day - the rustic Beach House, the warp pad, Steven’s bed, the kitchen, the temple door… a few things were _very_ slightly different, such as a few new photographs, and the portrait of Rose was gone, but otherwise, it was as if she had never left.

She turned around and looked out the window, seeing nothing but a blank void of white, so still and lifeless it made her shiver.

 _Dream,_ she thought, _it’s a dream._

Suddenly, she noticed a figure on the couch - she was sure it had not been there before. It was a human male, an inch or so shorter than her, stocky and a little chubby. Lapis gasped. The clothing was slightly different, and he had a hint of a stubble, but she recognised him instantly.

_Steven._

Steven was sitting in front of the coffee table - Lapis blinked, and it was suddenly covered by a white sheet and a single candle. Two plates had been set up, both of which were empty. Steven smiled and glanced up at thin air.

“Definitely not overdoing it, Pearl?” he chuckled, his voice easily recognisable is somewhat deeper.

There was a long silence, and Lapis felt rather uncomfortable. Suddenly, Steven grinned.

“It's just a normal date, Pearl,” he said, “She’ll understand if one of the forks aren't straight enough.”

 _So he must be talking to Pearl_ , Lapis thought, _But why can’t I see her?_

He turned around. Lapis blinked again, and suddenly a tall woman was sitting across from him - Connie, Lapis reckoned. Time must have passed - was this a memory?

_Was she in Stevonnie’s mind?_

“I dunno if we needed all this for some tater tots,” chuckled Steven, “Although it sure was nice of Peedee to give them to us for free.”

“Well, maybe it's a special occasion,” Connie replied nervously, scratching the back of her neck. She was clearly blushing.

She very deliberately swung her arm across the table, knocking a fork to the floor.

“Oh, darn it, I... I better pick that up!” she exclaimed, ducking over to the side. Lapis saw her pull something out of her pocket as she vanished out of Steven’s sight.

“Oh, it's fine, you can just…”

He trailed off as Connie knelt in front of him, the item behind her back - a box of some sort?

“Steven,” she said, “I... you were the first friend I ever had. You changed my life for the better in so many ways, and I can't ever thank you enough for everything you've done. And... and I want you to know that I never want this to end, so... aw jeez, rehearsing this with Pearl was way easier…”

“Connie?” quizzed Steven, blushing.

“Steven, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So…”

Connie produced the small box, flipping it open.

“Will you marry me?”

Lapis was vaguely aware of what marriage was - she'd seen it in CPH. It was like fusion, except the participants didn't fuse - they just hung around each other and hugged and flirted for the rest of their lives. Apparently Steven’s cousin Andy had liked it. She remembered talking to Peridot about it - the smaller gem had gone into a long rant about how Percy and Pierre needed to get married, and she’d mostly tuned it out.

Steven’s irises turned to stars as he gazed at the inside of the box.

“I... _YES!_ ” he squealed, pulling Connie into a hug.

They spun around together, laughing and crying. As they did, they began to glow - the laughter merged from two voices into one, and then Stevonnie was there, hugging themself and beaming from ear to ear. The box had been dropped on the floor, and they leaned down to pick it up…

An ear-splitting wail suddenly filled the air as the windows shattered. Stevonnie shot up, gazing out the window - their eyes widened.

“Oh no,” they whispered.

They called back to the door.

“Guys! _Diamond ship!_ ”

They raced outside, leaving the little box on the floor.

Lapis’ mind raced. This must have been it - the moment the Diamonds arrived, the day the Earth was destroyed. They had not unfused before leaving the house - _this was the last time they’d been unfused._ Lapis couldn’t help but shudder - then she couldn’t help but feel bad for shuddering.

Slowly, Lapis walked over to the discarded box, gingerly picking it up off the ground. It was plain and black, with a little hinge at the back so that it could be flipped open. She wondered what it was - if she remembered correctly, there should be an ‘engagement ring’ inside.

She flipped it open and found nothing.

The ground began to shake and a deafening rumble filled the sky. Lapis flailed her arms in an attempt to catch something as the floor suddenly heaved upwards, sending her tumbling onto her back. Dust and smoke filled the air, and the void outside turned blood red - she heard a horrific, animalistic screech…

* * *

...and then she woke up.

It was twilight, and she still lay on the beach. She sat up, rubbing her head. Had that been a vision? Had she really seen Stevonnie’s memories? Maybe her imagination was getting the better of her, but somehow she doubted that.

She got up and raced to the command post, barrelling inside and towards the hammock. Grabbing both sides, she shook the fusion awake.

“Guh... Lapis? What time is it?” muttered Stevonnie.

“I think I saw your dream!” Lapis replied, “The one about the engagement or whatever you call it!”

Stevonnie frowned as they sat up.

Oh,” they said, “I... I'm sorry, Lapis, I didn't mean…”

Lapis rubbed the back of her neck.

“You stay fused because you love each other,” said Lapis, “Is that right?”

Stevonnie sighed, climbing out of the hammock and sitting on the floor. They patted the ground invitingly, and Lapis sat next to them. They were quiet for some time.

“The first few days, I was so scared,” Stevonnie said at last, “I just... I needed to feel like I wasn't alone, that I couldn't be alone because... I guess I'd always be there for me.”

They looked at Lapis.

“But after spending time with you, I stopped being scared of being alone,” they said, “And part of me wondered if I should unfuse. Except…”

They smiled and leaned back.

“...except being me had just started feeling _right_ ,” they said, “I'm made from Steven and Connie’s love and trust in each other. It's like constantly being in the warmest, most loving hug you can imagine, except it's more than that, it's…”

Stevonnie trailed off - it seemed they had no idea what to say.

“I can't describe it,” they said at last, “But Steven wants this. Connie wants this. _I_ want this.”

They looked at their hands.

“This is me now,” they said, “I hope you understand that, Lapis.”

Lapis was quiet for some time.

Well, that was it, she thought; she'd never see Steven again. This new fusion was here to stay. And yet, maybe that wasn't a bad thing? They'd been nothing but nice to her, and Lapis could genuinely say she liked them. They weren't Steven, no, but they were a friend, right?

They weren’t like Malachite, right?

_Right?_

She felt a desperate need to break the tension.

“So…” she said, “Halfway to your anniversary, right? Should we do something for that? Is that a thing we need to do?”

Stevonnie laughed.

“Maybe we'll wait a few months before we start thinking about that…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, maybe I'm a little cruel...


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofing this!

**Chapter Six**

“Let's build a house!”

Lapis tilted her head, confused. She hadn’t at all expected Stevonnie’s sudden outburst.

“But... we _have_ a house,” she said, waving her hand around the command post, ‘We’re sitting in it _right now._ ”

“Yeah,” nodded Stevonnie, “But we could build our own!”

They gasped.

“...Lapis, what if we made it a _treehouse?!_ ”

It had now been a little over a year since Stevonnie’s arrival. The small command post was filled by strange trinkets Stevonnie had found while exploring the island - old gem tech, branches and rocks, even a few old objects from the barn that they’d found along the beach. A detailed map was now hung from the wall - it wasn’t _exactly_ perfect, as it was difficult to cartograph exact distances, but it was as good as they could possibly have made.

For all the homely sensibilities Stevonnie’s collection gave to the command post, it  had become very cluttered, and if they carried on like this, they’d run out of space to actually live in. Even now it was becoming cramped - they would soon need to do something to clear space if they wanted to keep living here.

Lapis scratched her chin, thinking it over. She had been missing the barn lately - perhaps this was an opportunity…

“We could try to rebuild the barn,” she mused, “I mean, I’m pretty sure all the pieces would still be on the seafloor around here…”

“Rebuild the barn and put it in a tree!” exclaimed Stevonnie, “ _Tree-barn!_ ”

They grinned, and Lapis couldn’t help but smile back.

“Okay,” she said, “Sure. Let’s... let’s make a tree-barn.”

* * *

Rebuilding the barn was turning out to be a lot harder than Lapis had anticipated.

They found most of the barn’s remains a few hundred metres out to sea, where a school of strange, eel-like fish played in the wreckage. The basic frame of the building, which had been made of steel, had survived quite well, with only a few beams rusted into complete uselessness - but the wood had mostly rotted away. That would need to be replaced.

Worse, the water tower that had once stuck out of the side of the barn was now a nest for a species of small but very aggressive shark-like creatures. Lapis would have been quite happy to move them, but Stevonnie refused - this was the sharks’ home now, and in any case, they’d rather not have their arms bitten off or anything.

Lapis didn’t like this - the silo had been part of the barn. It was a puzzle long abandoned, a fractured dream from another planet. And now, after so long, the final piece was sitting before her, ripe for the taking, and she was being told to live with and _accept_ that imperfection. She couldn’t complete the image, even with all the pieces before her; the site would forever be be marked by absence, of _what if_ and what could have been. Lapis grew increasingly anxious, the longer she thought on that festering sense of deficiency, so she tried to bury the instinct.  She told herself it would be fine - everything else would be the same.

It took three weeks to set up the foundations of the barn, though it likely would have been faster had it not been for  trial and error. Connie had been good at mathematics, so Stevonnie could work out the area needed quite easily - but actually clearing that space was no small task. They chose a spot just at the treeline, so that the barn door would be overlooking the sea, elevated on stilts so that they wouldn’t have to dig a foundation (and so that it would, in fact, be a tree-barn). This foundation collapsed twice before they finally got it right.

The frame didn’t take quite as long - it took about two weeks to be finished. Some parts needed to be replaced, but there were plenty of steel beams (or at least they _thought_ they were steel) lying around the mining tower. Once convinced that their structure wasn’t going to fall on top of them mid-construction, Stevonnie and Lapis continued working, setting themselves to task on the walls.

Lapis frowned as Stevonnie finished piling up some slats of wood, gathered from some of the wild forestry in the surrounding area. Cut from logs, the panels were thick and spotted-red, their texture rough and wild. On one side they round, like a log - on the other they were flat - or at least they were _vaguely_ flat, in a very lumpy sense of the word.

“What’s wrong?” they asked.

“The wall panels didn’t look like those,” replied Lapis, “They were... flatter.”

Stevonnie paused, frowning, but shrugged and began to busy themself by counting the slats.

“It’s okay if they look a bit different, right?” they asked offhandedly.

“But we’re supposed to be _rebuilding_ the barn,” said Lapis testily, “Not building a _new_ barn.”

Stevonnie glanced from her to the logs and then back again.

“Lapis, I... we don’t the tools for that,” they explained, “We’d need a power saw or something. And then we’d need electricity for the power saw. It’s just... I can’t do that.”

Lapis shook her head.

“Look, I’m sorry, Lapis,” said Stevonnie, “But we _can’t_.”

“Yeah,” Lapis grumbled, looking away, “Fine.”

It wasn’t fine. The whole thing just wasn’t... right. It was wrong. All wrong.

Perhaps she was being unfair, but as far as Lapis was concerned, there was a big difference between _a_ barn and _The_ Barn. They were deviating so much from that image that they might as well be building a totally new one (which, technically, they were, but that wasn’t the point.)

She’d have to accept the new walls, but she couldn’t deny that it put her in a foul mood.

* * *

Her mood grew increasingly sour as construction continued.

Many of the things in the barn that had not been saved in the cave had rotted or rusted away at the bottom of the sea. This included the truck in which Peridot and Lapis had once watched TV - it was a rusty shell of itself, half-buried in sand. Stevonnie suggested cutting the lid off the escape pod and using that instead, but the blowtorch they found in Lapis’ stuff didn't work on the advanced Homeworld material.

Not that it particularly mattered, because the TV was ruined too. True, it would have been useless without power anyway, but it had sentimental value - it was _supposed_ to be there. Still, Lapis reluctantly accepted its absence.

Then, after two months of building walls, they came to the roof. Again, the old materials were gone, but from Connie’s memories of high school, Stevonnie had a vague idea of how to make a canopy. They could gather leaves from the nearby trees and use those - not only would it be effective, they thought, but the green leaves would look fairly nice as well.

Lapis put her foot down.

“No,” she snapped, “It’s not supposed to look like that.”

Stevonnie pinched the bridge of their nose. They were carrying a toolbox under their other arm.

“I _know_ , Lapis,” they replied, “But we can't get the old tiles back. This is the best we can do.”

Lapis shook her head. Again, she knew she was probably being unfair, but the changes were making her very uncomfortable - after all, they were supposed to be rebuilding the barn; what was the point if it wasn’t how she remembered it? Surely, she thought, there was something that could be done?

“But you're a human,” she said pointedly, “You should be able to build a human roof.”

“I'm not an architect,” Stevonnie replied, lips pursed. “I don't know how to tile a roof like that.”

“Well, maybe you'd be able to if you didn't have to deal with two people in your head,” muttered Lapis.

“What was that?”

Stevonnie’s brow was furrowed and their free fist clenched. Part of Lapis warned her to back down; this was too far, the barn being different didn’t warrant going there, but she was too worked up to heed it.

“I said _maybe_ ,” Lapis replied, raising her voice, “ _Steven_ would be able to build that roof if he wasn't too busy being subsumed into you!”

“Lapis, we talked about this,” snapped Stevonnie, “You know he wants…”

“But does he really?” demanded Lapis, “Or has he just lost himself, huh?”

“Lapis, I need you to _back off_ ,” warned Stevonnie, “Steven doesn't need-”

“I'll tell you what he doesn't need!” Lapis thundered, “He doesn't need to have his identity _drowned_ just because _Connie_ doesn't wanna let him go!”

“What? Connie is _not_ holding him in!” Stevonnie explained angrily, “Why - why the _heck_ would you accuse her of that! Why would you even _think-_ ”

“ _Because that's what I did to Jasper!_ ”

Lapis’ voice echoed in the silence that followed. Slowly, Stevonnie’s hold on the toolbox slackened and it crashed to the floor.

Lapis covered her mouth with her hands. An instant flood of shame and regret doused her anger.

 _She'd gone too far_.

This was it. She’d ruined everything. _Again_. She hadn’t meant what she’d said, not really, but that didn’t matter - she’d said it, and now Stevonnie probably hated her for it.

“Lapis…”

Stevonnie's voice was soft and shaken.

Lapis extended her wings and flew into the sky, unable to look the fusion in the eye.

* * *

A week passed.

Stevonnie walked carefully down the beach, about two kilometres from the command post. Lapis sat just ahead of them, looking forlornly at the sea - she had been here ever since she fled the barn, and Stevonnie hadn't quite worked up the will to approach her since. They wanted to help her - but they'd still been offended by what Lapis had said.

They'd needed to cool off, just as Lapis had. Now they were ready.

Gently, Stevonnie sat down next to their friend.

“Lapis?”

Lapis didn’t look up, instead gazing intently at the gentle surf.

“It was torture, Stevonnie,” she said hollowly, “Every minute, every second, for _months_.”

Stevonnie said nothing, allowing her to continue.

“We fought so hard,” she continued, “Everything that made us _us_ ended up… I saw everything she was and everything she had ever been - and I used it against her. And so did she.”

Lapis looked at Stevonnie. Her gaze was dark and haunted.

“And then it stopped being _us_ and started being _me_.”

“Malachite,” whispered Stevonnie.

“Malachite came from how much we hated each other,” continued Lapis, “So I guess that's all she knew. She hated the Crystal Gems. She hated the watermelons. She hated _you. I_ hated you.”

“So being in her head was like a world without love,” said Stevonnie.

They shook their head.

“Ah, geez, that sounded less corny in my head.”

Lapis snorted bitterly.

“It's not far off the mark,” she said. “But it’s even more complicated than that. It’s like… not being in a world _without_ love, because I - _she_ … there was things that were… nice. Or I guess, beneficial, at least.”

She sighed, leaning back and looking up at the clouds. “Malachite didn’t get lonely. Malachite didn’t ever feel like they lost control. I never felt so in control of anything in my entire life, like I had all the pieces together for once, like I - we - _she_ could do anything. Power. It was power, and control, and Malachite _loved_ that.”

Visibly shaking, Lapis looked down at the edge of the ocean, where it came so close to meeting their toes. It didn’t, but it was mere inches away.

“I guess I've… I’ve always been afraid,” she continued, voice dropping to a whisper. “That that's what it's like for you. That... that Steven and Connie are trapped like I was, and they can't escape... that they're being _hurt,_ and they don’t even realize it. And I know that’s probably not what’s happening, but I…”

Stevonnie nodded.

“Lapis,” they said, “Can I show you something?”

“I... guess?”

Stevonnie crossed their legs, motioning for Lapis to do the same. Slowly, she did so.

“Okay,” said Stevonnie, “Breathe in... count to four... breathe out... now close your eyes…”

Lapis did as she was bid, and when she re-opened her eyes, she was sitting in a sprawling plane of blank blue space, still across from Stevonnie. They were humming quietly to themself - Lapis recognised the tune.

_Here comes a thought…_

Stevonnie motioned for Lapis to look to her left. Her eyes widened as Steven and Connie approached her - they were holding hands, and Steven offered her a kind smile.

“But… but…” Lapis looked from them to Stevonnie and back.

Steven sat down in front of her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Is this… but it can’t be!” exclaimed Lapis, “It’s supposed to be dark! It’s supposed to be _crushing!_ It’s… it’s…”

She swallowed.

“...it’s not like that at all, is it?” She breathed in, shaking her head. “I… Connie, I am so sorry…”

Connie smiled, shook her head and pointed up.

Lapis looked up. She gasped - the sky was filled with white butterflies. They wafted gently overhead, almost like snowflakes, swirling in opalescent flickers of emotion. As she watched them go by, her racing mind began to calm down.

Returning her attention forward, Lapis realized Connie and Steven had joined her on the ground, but they were both now completely prone. All smiles, the two laid inches apart, studying the expanse of pale butterflies flutter above their heads. Lapis allowed herself another deep breath and slowly reclined beside them, stretching out on her back. Contentedly, Lapis watched the skies above for a time, enjoying her company and the momentary peace, without fear or confusion anchoring her to reality.

Eventually, Lapis blinked and found herself back on the beach, looking into Stevonnie’s eyes.

“You see now, Lapis?” asked Stevonnie.

A few stray tears fell from Lapis’ eyes as she looked up at her friend.

“I... that wasn’t Malachite at all,” she replied.

“What was it?” asked Stevonnie nervously, “Was it… was it okay?”

Lapis smiled, more tears beginning to fall.

“It was beautiful.”

* * *

In the end, despite the liberties taken, it was still the barn.

Lapis stood inside, looking up at the green canopy, largely made from the local plants and trees. The walls underneath looked more like a log cabin than an old farm building, and a lot of the strange human junk was still gone. It was certainly not the place she remembered sharing with Peridot.

But now she was standing inside, maybe it wasn't so bad.

Stevonnie finished climbing the ladder up to the barn entrance (the door had not been replaced, so it was permanently open), carrying a mattress on their back. They grinned.

“Can I put this down next to your hammock, barnmate?” they asked cheerfully.

Lapis nodded.

“Stevonnie?” she said, “I... uh... I'm sorry I got angry about not building this place right.”

“No prob, Bob,” shrugged Stevonnie, carting the mattress over to Lapis’ hammock.

“Lapis,” Lapis corrected, “And it _was_ a problem. I was being unreasonable. I just wanted things the way they were when I was with Peridot. But it's never gonna be like that again, and…”

Stevonnie put down the mattress.

“...and I think I'm starting to accept that that's okay,” finished Lapis.

Stevonnie smiled.

“Okay then,” they said, “Apology accepted.”

They walked over and hugged their friend before turning back to the door.

“You know,” they said, “We _could_ put some torches up over the door…”

Lapis smiled.

“Maybe we could…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've got the barn back! Sort of.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait between chapters. I got a tad distracted.
> 
> Thanks again to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for the help with this!

**Chapter Seven**

“Maybe they’re not gone.”

Lapis pursed her lips, glancing quizzically at Stevonnie.

They were sitting on the edge of the barn, watching the sunset over the sea. It had now been three and a half years since Stevonnie had arrived - the nightmares that had once been near nightly occurrences had long subsided, and a strange sense of normalcy had settled in on their little island. What, then, prompted this sudden statement, Lapis wondered?

Thinking a little more about it, she decided she shouldn’t be  _ that _ surprised. Stevonnie had told them that the gems had been  _ taken _ , not  _ shattered  _ outright. She supposed it wasn’t  _ entirely _ implausible for one of them to have escaped. But these were the  _ Diamonds _ they were talking about - escape from them would have been incredibly unlikely. And if they were still alive in their clutches - well, some things were far,  _ far _ worse than shattering.

“Stevonnie,” she said, as evenly as she possibly could, “I don’t…”

“It’s possible, right?” they shrugged, “They could be looking for us right now!”

Lapis furrowed her brow.

“...how long have you been thinking this?” she asked.

Stevonnie shrugged.

“A while,” they replied, “Couple of years, actually. I mean, I know… I know my parents are gone, but… but maybe there’s still a chance…”

They smiled nervously at Lapis.

“That’s possible, right?”

_ No _ , thought Lapis.

“Yeah,” shrugged Lapis.

Stevonnie grinned.

“See!” they said, “Maybe all we have to do is wait.”

They got up, heading off to their bed.

Lapis sighed. She felt like she should have been honest, but she didn’t want to hurt them. No, better to not rock the boat. Maybe they’d see the truth, given time.

“Gonna be waiting a long time, then,” she muttered.

* * *

With the island now fully explored, Stevonnie and Lapis had begun to search the rest of the planet.

Every so often, Stevonnie would climb onto Lapis’ back and they’d fly off over the sea, soaring over the horizon to find the nearest landmark. As it turned out, there weren’t that many - there wasn’t much land. The world they now lived on was a massive ball of water, dotted with a few small islands here and there. Those islands largely resembled their own, but with enough small differences to make them worth checking out.

A few old gem structures still dotted the landscape, and Lapis explained those she knew of to her companion. There were many she didn’t understand, however - late Era-1 or early Era-2 structures that were just as alien to Lapis as they were to Stevonnie.

The one they’d found today was one such building. It resembled a giant bean floating in the ocean - it was featureless and made from a reflective material, and unlike the rest of the gem ruins, this one was pristine.

They landed at the north end on a landing pad next to what looked like the door. Lapis looked around and shivered, a deep, cold feeling chilling her being.

“That sigil,” she said, pointing at the blue diamond just above the door, “This place belonged to Blue Diamond.”

Stevonnie’s eyes widened.

“You mean…  _ personally? _ ” they exclaimed.

Lapis nodded.

“She’s been here,” she said, “She… she could still  _ be _ here.”

She felt herself begin to shake. She closed her eyes and breathed - in, out, in, out…

Stevonnie scratched their chin.

“But if she came back,” they said, “Wouldn’t her ship be here?”

Lapis thought for a moment and nodded.

“Yeah,” she said, “This planet is pretty much totally abandoned. She wouldn’t want to come back to this place.”

She gulped.

“ _ Probably _ .”

They walked up to the door. It was tall and shiny - the original symbol of the Great Diamond Authority was emblazoned on it, and there was a very noticeable dent where the bottom, pink diamond was. Lapis walked up to the panel next to it and pressed her hand on it.

“ _ Access denied. Entrance restricted to security clearance DIAMOND. _ ”

“Let me?”

Stevonnie stepped up, pressing their hand onto the panel.

“ _ Access granted. Welcome, Pink Diamond. _ ”

Stevonnie grinned as the door opened.

Inside the building was a giant pool of water. It resembled a swimming pool, but on a grand scale - fit for a diamond, in fact. The material that the building was constructed from was transparent on the inside, and they could see the ocean around them. It stretched as far as the eye could see in all directions.

At the far side of the room - roughly the halfway-point of the bean-shaped structure - was a giant throne. It was just like the one on the moon base, and the one on the Jungle Moon - but this one was a light blue colour. It was also far larger.

Lapis swallowed.

“This must be some kind of meditative chamber,” she whispered, “Blue Diamond had one of these…”

She shook her head.

“Well, I  _ heard  _ she had one on Homeworld,” she shrugged.

“Kind of hard to imagine Blue Diamond  _ swimming _ ,” mused Stevonnie, carefully dipping their hand in the water, “I mean, does she shapeshift into a swimsuit or something?”

“No,” replied Lapis, “The water would be heated, and she'd just sit in it.”

Stevonnie gasped.

“It's a  _ diamond spa! _ ”

“A diamond what?” asked Lapis.

Stevonnie shrugged.

Lapis stepped up to the edge of the water, gazing down at her reflection. This was a sacred place, a place personally chosen by a diamond for their solitude. No other gem, save perhaps her Pearl, would have ever been allowed in here. This was hallowed ground, sacred ground, and she deeply felt the enormity of it’s significance.

“We shouldn't be here,” she said.

“No,” replied Stevonnie, “Probably not.”

There was a long silence.

“Wanna swim in it?” asked Stevonnie.

“Okay.”

* * *

It was a great afternoon - just them, cheerfully playing around in a pool intended for their ‘betters’. They'd tried a splash fight, but Lapis’ clear advantage had put pay to that - then Stevonnie had spent an hour trying to turn on the warm water, after which they'd relaxed on the side of the pool, talking about little things that didn't really matter. It felt almost  _ normal _ .

By the time they were done, night had fallen and Stevonnie was getting tired. They decided to spend the night here and head back to the barn in the morning.

It was still late at night when Lapis awoke. She winced - she wished someone would turn off that strange blue light.

Hang on - what blue light?

She opened her eyes.

A holographic figure sat in the pool, head in her hands. She was impossibly tall and clad in a hooded robe - Lapis’ eyes widened as she realised who it was.

A much smaller hologram walked up to her, bowing demurely.

“My Diamond, there is an urgent communication for you.”

Blue Diamond stood up.

“Patch it through, Pearl,” she ordered.

Her voice was shaky and desolate.

Out of thin air, a diamond-shaped screen formed in front of her. Before long, the cold, impassive gaze of Yellow Diamond was looking out at them. Her arms were crossed and her lips were pursed, but her eyes seemed dark and sunken. Had this most powerful and impassive of gems been  _ crying? _

“ _ Blue, _ ” she said curtly, “ _ The blockade is in position over Earth. Evacuation of important gems has started. We're waiting for you to begin the attack. _ ”

Blue Diamond nodded.

“Very well,” she said, “I will depart immediately.”

She sighed.

“Where did we go wrong, Yellow?” she asked, “How did we let such a…  _ terrible  _ thing happen?”

Yellow Diamond furrowed her brow.

“ _ Focus, Blue, _ ” she snapped, “ _ Use your anger. It's the only thing that will get you through this. _ ”

Blue Diamond paused, then nodded curtly.

“ _ I will see you at Earth, _ ” Yellow Diamond declared, “ _ End communication. _ ”

The screen vanished.

Slowly, Blue Diamond emerged from the pool, slowly walking towards the door.

“I want to be rid of it, Pink,” she said soberly, “To smash that turbulent rock into dust. To wipe it all out and be done with it.”

She bowed her head.

“But that's not what you'd want, is it?” she sighed.

She looked mournfully at the sigil on the door, and the small pink diamond at the bottom of it.

“So I suppose,” said Blue Diamond, “I'm just going to have to settle for silencing Rose Quartz and her rebels. And I promise you, Pink, whatever she and that treacherous, defective Pearl fear most? I'll do  _ worse _ .”

Lapis glanced at the blue Pearl, standing behind her master. Perhaps it was a trick of the light - but was she crying?

She had no time to look closer, for the holograms abruptly vanished.

Lapis turned to the chair, finding Stevonnie standing on it. They were gaming forlornly at where Blue Diamond’s image had been. The room felt strangely empty, now that Blue Diamond’s holographic image had vanished - her presence had created a strange feeling of enormity, and part of Lapis regretted spending the day playing around in the chamber. It felt…  _ inappropriate _ , almost as if they had desecrated a very sacred place.

“She was here when she found out,” Stevonnie said numbly.

“Stevonnie?”

“I've been watching these old security recordings,” they explained, “Somebody scratched the password into the arm.”

Lapis thought of the blue Pearl again. It couldn't have been her, though - could it?

“I never… I never really knew how hard it hit her,” Stevonnie continued, “I  _ thought  _ I did, but... but she really wanted to  _ hurt _ mom for it. Even though Pink  _ was  _ mom…”

Lapis pursed her lips. There was a deep undercurrent of pain in Stevonnie’s hollow tone.

“And she has my family, Lapis,” they continued, their voice breaking, “They…”

Their voice trailed off. Lapis struggled to think of a reponse - the air felt thick, and it almost seemed to take on a sour taste. She wanted to help, but what could she say? Stars, she could hardly articulate how  _ she  _ felt about Earth (and by extension, Peridot) being gone, never mind how Stevonnie did. Part of her wondered if it might have been better if somebody else had landed on the island - at least if Peridot had come, she’d have been better able to…

A deep feeling of shame washed over her. Stevonnie was her  _ friend _ . To think such things felt like a betrayal. 

“Stevonnie…”

Mentally, she kicked herself. Her response felt useless,  _ pathetic _ .

Stevonnie climbed down and sat against the side of the throne.

“They're gone,” they said, “They're all gone. Nobody’s coming.”

They clutched their head, their shoulders heaving as they began to break down.

“I'm all alone.”

Lapis watched as her friend began to cry - loud, painted, choked sobs that echoed in the large room and made her skin crawl. She felt a deep, uncomfortable pit in her being, amplifying her earlier shame. How  _ dare  _ she even consider the possibility of them not being there?

Before she could really think, she was by their side, pulling them into a hug and rubbing their back.

“Come here, just let it out,” she said softly, remembering how they had comforted her on the beach so long ago, “Just let it out…”

She closed her eyes, rocking gently back and forth.

“You're not alone,” she said, “I'm here.”

* * *

The rain season had come and gone now - Stevonnie called it winter, which didn't mean much to Lapis. She didn't really get cold or warm - all the seasons were about the same to her. Although she did like rain - the moisture in the air was calming.

Their exploring had slowed down since that day at the pool, about three months ago now. For a while, Stevonnie’s nightmares had come back, and they tended to stay in the barn all day, often in bed. It had hurt Lapis to see them so depressed, and she’d tried what she could to cheer them up - it never seemed to work, but she got the sense that Stevonnie appreciated her efforts. Eventually, they started to go outside again, but always on their own - they never said where they were going.

Then, one morning, Stevonnie asked her to follow them.

They took her to the command post and stopped outside, taking a deep breath.

“Okay,” they said, “I'm ready.”

“Ready for what?” quizzed Lapis.

Stevonnie led them inside.

The command post had been cleaned up - all of the junk that had built up inside was now arranged as neatly as possible along the walls. Some of it was arranged into elaborate murals, making abstract images of life back on Earth. By the window were a collection of large rocks, atop each was a small candle - each was different, probably because Stevonnie had scavenged them from wherever they could. Each of the stones had an image drawn in chalk along the side.

An image of one of Stevonnie’s family.

From left to right, Lapis could recognise them - Greg, what she assumed were the Maheswarans, Amethyst, Garnet, Pearl…  _ Peridot.  _ All of them were drawn smiling, afterimages of a better time, long gone - but not forgotten.

“What is it?” asked Lapis.

“It’s... it’s a memorial,” replied Stevonnie, scratching the back of their neck, “I thought it would be a way to...to put them to rest.”

They forced a laugh.

“You know,” they continued, voice cracking, “Because… because they’re gone, and they’re not coming back… and I just wanted...”

Slowly, Lapis stepped forward, gently taking their hand.

“...I just wanted to say goodbye.”

They covered their face with their hand, their body shaking as they began to sob. Lapis squeezed their hand, hoping that it might calm them. The right thing to do was offer comfort, wasn’t it? She hoped she was doing it right.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, “It’s okay…”

Stevonnie took a deep breath, rubbing their arm over their eyes.

“Okay,” they said, taking another deep breath, “Thanks.”

They took out a lighter.

“Here we go.”

It was a long, hard and emotional morning, but when they finally left the command post, Lapis felt strangely lighter, as if a great weight had been lifted off of her chest.

A brief, slightly wet smile from Stevonnie convinced her that they felt the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd just like to again thank realfakedoors for the help in expanding Stevonnie's breakdown at the Diamond facility. Go read their stuff! It's really good!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was always considered as an AU, as a result, it won't be taking Reunited into account.
> 
> Thanks again to the inimitable [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for the help with this! Please read their stuff, it's excellent!

**Chapter Eight**

“So you lather your face in weird cream and then run a _blade_ over your face?” asked Lapis, tilting her head, “I… I gotta say, I just don’t get it.”

It was evening at the barn. The wooden building was mostly dark, save for a few torches that Stevonnie had lit, and they were preparing to turn in for the night. Stevonnie was struggling with a straight razor - they winced as it cut too deep, running a finger over the wound and feeling blood. They groaned in frustration.

“Yeah,” admitted Stevonnie, “I don't like shaving this way either, but we ran out of batteries last month, so I can't use the shaver anymore.”

They put down the razor and wiped their face with a piece of cloth. Satisfied, they walked over to their bed and settled down, staring at the ceiling. Lapis watched them from the chair as they pulled their old, worn blanket over them.

“Should be winter again soon,” they said.

“Yeah,” Lapis nodded, “How long has it been now?”

Stevonnie sighed.

“Five years?” they guessed, “Could be six. I've stopped counting.”

There was a long silence. Lapis got up, walking over to her hammock and climbing into it.

“Back on Earth,” said Stevonnie, “We used to meet up with family and give each other presents around wintertime - just to let everyone know that they mattered to us.”

They yawned.

“I kinda miss that,” they said, rolling over.

“What kind of gifts?” Lapis asked.

She was met with a soft snore.

Sighing, Lapis rolled onto her back. For a while, she thought to herself of gifts and get-togethers, but before long she allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

The weather had started to change. It was cooler now, and the sky was pockmarked with thicker and thicker clouds. Lapis  liked the rain - she could feel the precipitation building in the air as she flew across the island - it was calming to her, like a blanket gently wrapping over her form.

She landed on the beach near the command post, finding Stevonnie leaning over the escape pod. It had been there for years, both of them reluctant to touch it. It was too sensitive, too much a reminder of the circumstances in which Stevonnie had arrived. Only recently had the fusion started to take a closer look at it, interested in how the contraption worked. It made Lapis a bit uncomfortable - what if it had a self-destruct mechanism? - but she tried not to get involved.

“Hey Lapis!” they called, “How was your flight?”

“Good!” Lapis waved and walked over, “You wanna head back to the barn? It's gonna rain soon.”

“Just a sec,” replied Stevonnie, “I think I've found some kind of battery in here - maybe I can use it in the shaver…”

Lapis frowned. They were reaching at a small tube under the control panel, which had been removed long ago.

“Are you sure you should be touching that?”

“It's fine,” shrugged Stevonnie, “I'm just gonna…”

They tugged at the tube. A loud beeping filled the air.

“ _Warning! Warning! Pod power systems have been compromised_ ” a shrill, computerised voice blared.

“Oops,” said Stevonnie.

“ _Automated Distress Beacon activated. Automated Distress Beacon activated…_ ”

Lapis froze.

The pod had just sent a distress beacon out. This was a signal that relayed the pod’s position to any passing ships that might pick it up. It wasn't a perfect system, of course - it was cheap and disposable, and it could take years to be picked up, if ever… but if it was… _if it was…_

There was a loud crash, and the pod went silent.

Stevonnie grinned, holding the tube up in the air.

“Okay, looks like it’s dead,” they said, “That was close, huh Lapis?”

Lapis didn't reply. She was shaking, her eyes wide and filled with fear. Her mind was racing at a thousand miles an hour - _what if they come what if they come what if they come_ …

“Lapis?”

Stevonnie stepped forward, concerned.

Lapis’ wings burst from her gem.

“They-they're gonna hear that beacon,” she said frantically, “Th-th-the Diamonds are gonna come for us…”

“What?” replied Stevonnie, “But Lapis, it was only on for a few seconds! Nobody’s gonna…”

“No, Stevonnie, they _are!_ ” exclaimed Lapis, “It… it's not safe here anymore. We've gotta _leave!_ We’ve gotta leave _now!_ ”

“Lapis, I need you to calm down,” said Stevonnie, “I…”

“ _Calm down?!_ ” exclaimed Lapis, “ _Calm down?!_ We're in danger, we need to go! We need to go _now!_ ”

“I can't breathe in space, Lapis,” replied Stevonnie.

Lapis cursed loudly.

“B-b-but we've gotta be _safe!_ ” she stammered, “We've gotta get away! We… I've gotta get away!”

She prepared to fly.

“Lapis, _no!_ ”

Lapis began to fly - then was very abruptly stopped.

Stevonnie had lunged for her, grabbing her legs and pulling her back down into the sand. They landed on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

“Lapis, please, think about this!” they yelled.

“Let me _go!_ ” thundered Lapis.

“I need you to _calm down_ ,” growled Stevonnie.

“But the Diamonds! They're gonna…”

“ _Lapis, shut up and listen to me!_ ”

Stevonnie’s voice echoed along the beach. Lapis stopped talking, her eyes wide, but Stevonnie went on, their grip on Lapis tightening as they spoke.

“We've spent _years_ building a life here, Lapis! We've got a home now! Are you just gonna throw it all away again for something that _might_ happen?”

“I…”

“I _know_ you're scared, and I understand, but they're not gonna come - and if they do, _I'm gonna be here with you!_ And if we're together, maybe we can beat them! I dunno, but it's gotta be better than being alone, right?”

They began to tear up.

“We’re all we have left, Lapis,” they said, a surprising amount of pain and vulnerability seeping through each syllable. “I don't… I don't wanna be alone in the universe. And… and I know you don't either...”

Lapis felt the first droplets of rain begin to fall. The precipitation washed over her, and she focused hard on the comforting feeling as she looked up at Stevonnie. She had to calm down - focus. _Breathe._

She shouldn't risk it. She should run and never look back - that's what she'd always done. Would Stevonnie be surprised if she did it again? Honestly, it would probably teach them for having faith in someone like her. She should fly away right now.

_It would be easy. It would be better for both of them._

She remembered the crushing loneliness - in the mirror, on the moon and when she'd first arrived on the island. Could she go through that again? Was it worth risking shattering to avoid that feeling?

_Yes, it is. Save yourself. Save yourself!_

She looked up at Stevonnie’s eyes.

_Just… oh my stars, I can't do it._

Tears pricked Lapis’ eyes as Stevonnie pulled her into a hug. They lay on the beach, crying into each other’s shoulders as the rain came down harder and harder. Lapis’ feelings ran like a river - fear and shame and doubt - and in that moment they flowed out onto Stevonnie’s shoulder. They stayed there for some time.

Eventually, they pulled out of the hug, lying alongside each other on the wet sand.

“Ugh,” muttered Stevonnie, “I'm all wet.”

“Wanna head back to the barn?” asked Lapis, “This isn't going to stop for, like, a month.”

“Yeah.”

Stevonnie grinned.

“Let's go _home_.”

* * *

Stevonnie and Lapis sat by the door of the barn, watching the rain.

“Do you think anybody’s gonna find that beacon?” asked Lapis.

Stevonnie shrugged.

“We'll cross that bridge when it comes,” they replied, “But I don't think so.”

They sat in silence for some time.

“Well, one good thing did come out of this,” said Stevonnie at last.

“Hmm?”

Stevonnie picked up the shaver and smiled, pressing the button. It whirred into life.

“The battery works.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a creative roll lately, so here's another chapter.
> 
> Full disclosure: I'm pretty sure I'm gonna annoy some people with this one. For that, I apoligise in advance.
> 
> Thanks again to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for helping with this story!

**Chapter Nine**

_Dear Diary,_

_My name is Lapis Lazuli. I haven't actually written a diary before, so I'm sorry if I'm not very good at this. We found a bunch of empty writing books in a box in the cave - Stevonnie says it might be good for us to keep diaries now. Just in case we need to remember things. I mean, I have a pretty good memory but…_

_According to Stevonnie, it might be eight and a half years since they arrived on the island, but we don't know for sure. Years are about the same length here as they are - well,_ were _on Earth, but it's not exact. (Maybe we should try making a calendar.) Anyway, we don't really have a better guess, so eight and a half it is. It's probably nothing compared to how long we'll be here in the end (if Homeworld doesn't show up.) I can't imagine where we'll be in a hundred years, or a few hundred - things have changed so much in such a short time._

_Stevonnie’s grown a lot. I mean, they sort of have and haven't. It's hard to explain. Normally humans are supposed to change as they get older, but I haven't noticed that with Stevonnie. They told me they think that they probably won't get any older, but they don't know. Something about their gem powers affecting their body’s… I don't know. What I mean is, they've learned a lot since they got here, and so have I._

_Whenever I think about their gem, I think of it as Stevonnie’s - not Steven’s. I'm used to them now. I don't feel like I need them to unfuse one day like I did at the start. ~~I don't want them to~~_

_Never mind. Anyway, that's all I can think of today, so I'm gonna get some sleep (regular sleep every night - that's such a weird thing. I wonder if any other gems do that?)_

_Stevonnie wants to me say goodnight. Good night, diary. ~~Some things never change, do they?~~_

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_We just got back from another exploration mission on one of the other island. This one didn't go so well…_

“Back to the beach, _back to the beach!_ ” shouted Stevonnie.

They and Lapis darted through the thick overgrowth - behind them, an enormous, grey creature was gaining on them. Its body resembled a shark, although the head was far flatter. It ran on four slender legs, and it had a long, barbed tail. Stevonnie had called it a “landshark,” and Lapis found it hard to argue with the name. She would have flown them out, but the jungle was too thick, blotting out the sun and sky in a canopy of green wilderness. If their lives weren’t at stake, she might have thought it pretty.

Ahead, Lapis could just make out a sliver of blue between the trees - the sea.

“Just a little further!” she shouted.

She could feel the hot breath of the landshark on her heels - it was far closer to her gem than she might have liked.

They reached the tree line, and Lapis bounded down into the beach. Stevonnie suddenly stumbled, snagging their foot on a root and tumbling face first onto the sand. The landshark burst out after them - it pounced, gaping jaws shooting out towards the fusion…

A gigantic fist of water flew out from the sea and slammed into the landshark, sending it flying back into the jungle.

Lapis mopped her brow and ran over to her friend, kneeling down next to them. Stevonnie had already sat up - they were dazed but mostly unharmed. They licked their hand and rubbed it on their ankle.

“Just in case,” they explained.

They looked back towards the trees.

“I think we should call this place Landshark Island,” they said, breathing heavily.

“Yep,” nodded Lapis.

“Also, maybe we shouldn't come back here.”

“Oh yeah.”

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_A few days ago, I found Stevonnie reading a 'novel.' I don't really know how to explain exactly what a novel is, but it's a book like the Pretty Hairstylist one I would read before, but it was about a story and not just... a record of stuff about hair? It's more like Camp Pining Hearts in that way, I guess, but with the words and structure of the Pretty Hairstylist?_

_Anyway, we started talking about it, and I decided maybe I should try reading a novel. So I went up to the cave with all the human junk in it, I found one I thought I’d like and I started reading. I guess the title just spoke to me. So I guess this is a book review now?_

_Okay, so there’s these kids, and their parents die in a fire, so they have to live with this evil old guy who wants their “inheritance” (I don’t really know what that is?). And in the end he makes this play to try and marry the oldest kid, but he gets foiled and they have to go live somewhere else. And then it ends. Apparently there’s a series, but I couldn’t find any other books. Maybe next time I should try and find a book that_ isn’t _part of a big series._

_I asked Stevonnie what people ~~have~~ had to do to write books. They said you didn't need to do anything, just pick up a pencil and write. I think I might try that…_

“Okay…”

Lapis handed the little sheet of paper to Stevonnie, blushing slightly as the fusion looked over it. Stevonnie was sitting on their mattress - Lapis, slightly agitated, was standing next to them. Her mind was already telling her she’d made an awful mistake - _this isn’t good enough to be shared…_

“I couldn’t come up with any human names,” admitted Lapis, “So I used people I know.”

“So it’s set at a camp,” said Stevonnie.

Lapis scratched the back of her neck.

“Yeah, I… I know what camps are from CPH, and…”

“No, that’s good, write what you know!” Stevonnie nodded, “So your main characters are gonna be you and Peridot…”

“Uh, no, the main character’s just _called_ Lapis, she’s… she’s not supposed…”

She trailed off, blushing.

“Okay, yeah,” admitted Lapis, “I couldn’t think of my own character.”

Stevonnie shrugged and smiled.

“A lot of writers write about themselves,” they said, “It’s no problem.”

They read on, occasionally commenting on Lapis’ ideas. As they did, Lapis felt herself feel more and more comfortable with sharing her ideas. When they started, she was pacing and forth, her comments stammered out in a shaky, anxious voice - by the time Stevonnie was done, she was laying at ease on her hammock, her responses casually (if not entirely calmly) measured.

“Okay,” they said as they finished reading Lapis’ idea, “This is really good. I’ve just got one suggestion.”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe don’t call the bad guy Jasper?”

Lapis tilted her head.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Well… I dunno, it just seems a bit unhealthy,” they shrugged.

Lapis opened her mouth to reply - she stopped, biting her lip. _They may have a point here._

“Okay,” she nodded, “What would you suggest?”

Stevonnie scratched their chin.

“Kevin,” they said, “Let’s go with Kevin.”

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_I had a really weird dream last night._

_I’ve had a lot of weird dreams - I had a few, a long time ago, where I was back on Earth and I was living with Peridot again, but Amethyst was also there? We were just living together? Like I said, it was weird. This one was sort of like that, but a lot weirder._

_It’s probably silly of me to write about it, but I want to try that anyway to see if I understand it a little better after thinking about it._

_So, it starts out with me back on Earth…_

Lapis stood outside the barn - the original barn - and glanced up at the sky. It was a deep, lime green, and it was dotted by fluffy purple clouds. In retrospect, that _should_ have been disconcerting, but she paid it no mind. Instead, she walked up to the closed double doors - which was also unusual, didn’t they usually leave them open? - and rang the doorbell.

_CLODS! CLODS! CLODS!_

The door opened. Peridot stood in the doorway, wearing a green human suit with a blue necktie. She blinked as she regarded her visitor.

“Hey, uh, Peridot,” said Lapis, scratching the back of her neck, “I… I just came over to say, um… thanks.”

Peridot tilted her head.

“You know, for putting up with me,” continued Lapis, “‘Cause… ‘cause I didn’t deserve it. ‘Cause I treated you so bad. I should’ve been better, and I’m sorry, and… just, thanks.”

Peridot nodded.

“I’m better now, I think,” said Lapis, “And I… I miss you, and I still wish I could see you again, but… I don’t feel that way anymore. I think I’ve… I think I’ve moved on. And I hope you can understand.”

“Mi catlalyu tlisl aeivl,” said Peridot.

Lapis nodded.

“Well said, Peri,” she nodded, “Well, I’ve gotta go now, but it’s been good to see you.”

Peridot nodded again and shut the door. The barn shimmered and warped, and in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

Lapis frowned. She felt like she should be sad, but instead she felt strangely at peace.

She shrugged and started home, walking out beyond the Milky Way and Andromeda, and taking a left ten minutes before the next galaxy. Before too long, she was standing outside the barn - the _new_ barn, on the island.

Stevonnie stood on the beach outside the barn, dancing cheerfully. They wore a flower crown, and the afternoon sun reflected in their hair. They grinned and waved as they saw Lapis arrive.

“How'd it go?” they asked.

“Pretty good,” shrugged Lapis, “I think she took it well.”

She closed her eyes and breathed out.

“It's a weight off my shoulders, at least.”

Stevonnie nodded.

“Good to hear,” they said, “Now… um, hang on…”

They turned their back to Lapis and fiddled with their pockets. Lapis raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly they were doing.

They turned around again, a flower in their teeth. They grinned and raised an eyebrow, offering their hand.

“May I have this dance?” they asked.

Lapis giggled.

“You’re hopeless,” she said, taking their hand.

“Yeah,” replied Stevonnie.

They spun Lapis around and bent her backwards, looking into her eyes.

“We’re both hopeless,” they said.

They laughed, and Stevonnie pulled her into a hug. Their gems began to glow, their forms running together…

Lapis shot up in her hammock, clutching her head.

She looked around in the darkness. Stevonnie was still sleeping soundly in their bed, and the only sounds were light snores and the distant croaking of bugs (they'd thought they were crickets early on, but it turned out they were actually a type of eight-legged beetle.)

She shook her head.

“What the heck was _that?_ ” she whispered to herself.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Winter’s come back again, and I've been working on something for Stevonnie. As a winter gift, because those ~~are~~ were supposed to be a thing on Earth?_

_Honestly, I'm not even sure if they'll like it. I think Stevonnie said that it was the thought that counted, and that humans often got each other really personal stuff - they said Greg got a hand knitted sweater from Pearl once, and it didn't fit but he always kept it close to remind him of her._

_I wonder what hand knitting is? Sounds painful..._

_Anyway, I’ve been trying to make something for them, for the winter thing. I_ think _I’ve got something good, but I’m not entirely sure…_

“Stevonnie? You up there?”

“Yeah!”

Lapis flew up through the driving rain through the barn door, landing softly on the wooden floor. Her hands were behind her back, and she felt nervous - what if they didn’t like what she’d brought them? What if this was just _dumb?_

No. No, she had to remain confident. It was like Stevonnie said - it was the thought that counted.

Stevonnie sat up on their mattress - they’d been listening to the rain on the barn roof, something which both they and Lapis found deeply relaxing. They smiled as she walked in.

“What’s up?” they asked.

“I… uh… I was just… um…”

Lapis ran her hand through her hair. This was getting awkward.

“Look, you know how you said humans exchanged gifts in winter?” she asked, “Well, I wanted… I was thinking…”

_Oh, just show it to them, Lapis._

She revealed her gift.

It was a sculpture, made from a substance Lapis had found in their junk pile called ‘PlaiDough.’ It had taken a while to make - the substance was just moist enough for her to manipulate with difficulty, but she’d had to make everything exactly the right colour and shape, and then had to dry it out enough that it stayed intact without crumbling into dust. That had taken her weeks, and more false starts than she could count.

The sculpture was of the two of them, standing on a patch of water (yes, Stevonnie couldn’t walk on water, but that was meep-morp license). Their hair (and Lapis’ skirt) was lifted slightly by an imagined wind, and they held each other’s hands.

“I’m sorry, uh, some of the colours ran a bit, and I didn’t notice until after I’d hardened it, uh…”

“You made that for me?” Stevonnie gasped.

“I… yeah, I just… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“I love it!” Stevonnie exclaimed, stars in their eyes, “That’s _amazing_ , Lapis!”

They pulled Lapis into a tight hug and twirled her around, grinning. Lapis blushed and smiled back, a feeling of deep relief washing over her.

“I… thank you,” replied Lapis as Stevonnie put her down, “I’m glad you like it, I just…”

She put the sculpture down and walked over to the door of the barn, sitting by it and looking out at the rain. Stevonnie followed, planting themself down next to her. Lapis sighed heavily.

“What’s wrong?” asked Stevonnie.

“I feel selfish,” replied Lapis.

“ _Selfish?_ ” quizzed Stevonnie, “But… but you just made that sculpture for me! That’s not selfish at all!”

“It’s not that.”

Lapis gazed out into the rain.

“It’s just… I’ve realised something awful,” she said, “We’re sitting alone on an alien planet, and we’re probably going to be stuck here forever. Everyone we’ve ever known is gone. Everything that had to happen to get us here is _horrible_ , but…”

Lapis closed her eyes.

“But I’ve never been happier than I am right now,” she finished, “How selfish is that?”

Stevonnie put a hand on her shoulder.

“Lapis, that’s not selfish at all,” they said.

They followed Lapis’ gaze out at the driving rain and the rippling tides of the ocean.

“I never thought I’d be here,” they said, “But, now that I am… I think I’m pretty content. I’ve lost so much, but I’ve still got a home. I’ve still got me. I’ve… I’ve still got you.”

Lapis gave them a small smile as they pulled an arm around her shoulder. They sat there for some time - the only sound being that of the rain pouring on the roof.

It wasn’t ideal, certainly. But it was home, and it was a fine one at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... about that beacon...


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for helping with this story! Are you reading their stories? Because you should be. You really should be.
> 
> And now, to change everything. :P

**Chapter Ten**

It had now been ten years.

Viewed from space, Lapis and Stevonnie's watery world looked much like Earth once had, if Earth were pockmarked by small islands rather than continents. The most notable differences were the twin, light green moons, one much larger than the other, that orbited the planet. Nothing had entered or exited its atmosphere in over a decade. It was a sanctuary - once a prison, now a place of healing. It was calm, peaceful, safe. It was _home._

That was about to change.

A small, sleek, blue warship suddenly burst out of warp, cruising between the two moons towards the planet’s atmospheric field. It somewhat resembled a flattened airplane crossed with a hovercraft - a bridge, doubling as a cockpit, featured prominently at the front, with a squat, wide hull with two decks behind. Two engines roared at the back, pushing the craft onwards towards its destination.

This was a Coalescence-class attack corvette - a type of ship that typically belonged to Blue Diamond. It was bound for the watery planet.

* * *

It was a beautiful day on the island - it was warm, but not too warm, and a faint breeze blew over the beach. It was far too nice to stay inside, so Lapis and Stevonnie had headed out onto the sand, setting up an old, collapsible picnic table on the sand and getting out a board game.

“Six!”

Stevonnie moved their piece six places along the board.

“Alright, Chance!” they exclaimed, picking out a card, “Let’s see… advance to Illinois Avenue. Do you have that one?”

Lapis smirked and flashed the card.

“Dang,” muttered Stevonnie, handing her a small pile of the fake money, “Well, at least it wasn’t ‘go to jail’ again.”

“You mean ‘Ja.’”

Lapis pointed to the corner of the board. A sizable chunk was missing - the corner space now read ‘JA’ and displayed only two-thirds of a cartoon prison cell.

“Okay,” Stevonnie mused, scratching their chin, “I think I’m gonna buy a house on…”

“You know, I’ve been thinking.”

Stevonnie looked up. Lapis was staring quizzically out to sea.

“You know that one island?” she said, “The one over on the other side of the planet? You know, with that big cove and the cliffs…”

“Oh, with the caves?” replied Stevonnie, “And that underground lake?”

They’d found it about a year ago - at the time, it had been the furthest they’d been from home. The cove itself had been spectacular; protected from heavy winds by the surrounding circular cliffs, the spot was covered in planets of shapes and colours neither of them had ever imagined before. These weren’t green plants - they were blue and purple with streaks of a bright mango yellow and dark red, and some of them towered high above the largest trees on their own island. All of this had been brilliantly lit by the mid-morning sun, patched partially by the shadows of small clouds drifting by. When they had left, much later that day, the strange blue-green sunset had illuminated the cove in a soft, cool glow, contrasted brilliantly against the darkening sky.

Even more enchanting had been  the caves. The walls within were smooth to the touch, and coloured in an vibrant spectrum of teals, sea greens and pale blues. It looked almost like a wave curling over them. The lake deep within those oceanic walls was crystal clear, like an enormous mirror, and lit by strange, pulsing fungi that lit the cavern up with a deep green colour. The sight, combined with the cool air, was enough to send a chill up Stevonnie’s spine. If they didn’t know it was water, they might have attempted to walk on it.

“Yeah,” nodded Lapis, “That place. I was thinking maybe we should go back there.”

“Sure,” shrugged Stevonnie, “There might’ve been something we missed around there, and…”

“No, I mean… just for fun,” replied Lapis, “To… _camp._ ”

She shook her head.

“I mean, if you don’t want to, I…”

“No, that’d be great!” exclaimed Stevonnie, “We can make a campfire and sing camp songs and… well, we don’t have any marshmallows, but we could try using fruit instead…”

They trailed off. A strange, droning noise could be faintly heard on the wind - it seemed to be coming from above.

“What is that?” they asked.

“Stevonnie…”

Lapis pointed to the sky in a combination of awe and terror. A dark blue dot could be seen against the blue sky, slowly getting closer and closer.

* * *

“Captain! Lifeforms detected! One Lapis Lazuli and… wait, that can’t be right…”

“What can’t be right?”

“It’s… I can’t tell. I think it’s half human, but that’s _impossible…_ ”

“What? It can’t… take us in closer, I wanna see this.”

* * *

Lapis stepped back as she watched the blue ship approach. She was shaking all over - Stevonnie put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in an effort to calm her down.

“I-it’s an attack ship, I think,” Lapis stammered, “They-they used them to chase down criminals and stuff… but those only have ship-to-ship weapons, I think, they-they’d need to get out before…”

“So they can’t hurt us until they land,” nodded Stevonnie.

“No.”

Lapis’ expression hardened.

“But _we_ can hurt _them_.”

She stepped forward, raising a hand.

A massive watery hand burst from the ocean, roaring upwards into the sky. It’s digits formed into a titanic fist, and with incredible speed and force it shot up towards the oncoming ship. Stevonnie swallowed - advanced or not, there was no way the ship would be able to weather such an attack undamaged.

“Lapis,” they said, “Maybe we should…”

Suddenly, as if crashing into an immovable object, the fist broke apart against thin air. Water sprayed across nothing, as if the ship was protected by an invisible bubble - then, useless spray came trickling back down to the sea, having done no damage to it’s quarry.

“Is that a shield?” gasped Stevonnie.

“They… they’re not supposed to have that!” exclaimed Lapis, “I mean, I don’t _think_ they are - I haven’t seen one in thousands of years…”

She shook her head, clenching her fists in anxiety.

“We can still go,” she said, “We can fly away… maybe you can make a bubble or something, I…”

“Stay calm, Lapis,” replied Stevonnie, although they noticed their own voice shaking slightly, “Maybe we can hide - if worse comes to worse, we can ambush them when they don’t expect it, but maybe they’ll just check the beach and go away!”

“But what if we can’t…”

“I won’t let them hurt you, Lapis,” declared Stevonnie.

Lapis grit her teeth, closing her eyes. She told herself to calm down, to _breathe_ \- in, count to four, out, count to four, in, count to four, out…

She opened her eyes and looked Stevonnie in the eye.

“Well,” she said, “That… that makes two of us.”

Stevonnie grinned, and they doubled-back behind the treeline as the ship came in for landing.

* * *

“And we’re on the ground, but… uh, you sure you wanna go out there? That attack - no Era 2 could have pulled that off!”

“Yeah, I appreciate the concern, but I need to see who did this.”

“Uh… yes ma’am! Just… just be careful…”

“Ugh, I know what I’m doing…”

* * *

The ship had touched down. It wasn’t especially large compared to a Diamond’s ship, but it was still an imposing sight. It had deployed stilts upon landing, standing about two metres off the ground - it only served to make the ship look taller. It was at least twice the size of the barn, Lapis reckoned.

It began to hiss, and a panel moved on the underside of the hull. It shifted slightly, and then began to lower like a ramp. Absently, Lapis found herself reaching for Stevonnie’s hand - the fusion took it, and she immediately realised what she’d done. She bit her lip and focused her attention back on the ship.

The ramp finished lowering, the end gently ruffling the sand. There was another hiss - perhaps a door on the inside was opening up? Then came the sound of footsteps on a metal surface.

“They’re coming,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry,” Stevonnie whispered back, “It’s gonna be okay.”

The footsteps continued to approach, each step twisting something within Lapis into more and more twisted knots. A boot appeared, then another, until they could see a figure strolling down the ramp.

“No…” Lapis breathed, “It _can’t be…_ ”

The gem that emerged wore a long, grey, ankle-length coat with off-white gloves and a black trim along the sleeves. Underneath this was a white shirt that exposed part of her gem at the collar, and black shorts over white leggings. She wore large, grey boots with white stars on the heels, and her hair was done up into a ponytail. Her bangs covered her right eye. She was short and purple in colour.

“Oh my gosh…”

Stevonnie stood up, no longer caring to hide. Stars appeared in their eyes. The emerging gem’s eyes widened, and she froze in place.

“Stevonnie?” she gasped.

“A… _Amethyst?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything is different now...


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amethyst is here, so lets shake things up a tad!
> 
> Thanks again to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for helping with this story! GUYS YOU HAVE TO READ CONVICTIONS AND CAPTIVITY _IT IS THE **SHIT.**_

**Chapter Eleven**

Stevonnie burst out of the bushes, running up to their old friend. They met Amethyst halfway, lifting them up and pulling them into a hug, laughing gleefully as they spun her around. Lapis couldn’t help but purse her lips slightly - what right did she have to just turn up and upend…

... _no_. She wasn’t going to think like that, she told herself. This was a good thing for Stevonnie, for _her_ \- it meant they were not alone. And that was an amazing thing.

Right?

“I thought you were dead!” exclaimed Amethyst.

“I thought _you_ were dead!” Stevonnie replied, “We… we made a memorial and everything!”

“Yeah, speaking of _we_ …” Amethyst cupped her hands over her mouth, “Hey Lapis! You out there?”

Hesitantly, Lapis came out of the bushes.

“Yep, thought it was you,” said Amethyst, “Who else could’ve made a water fist like that?”

“Any other Lapis Lazuli?” suggested Lapis dryly.

“True,” nodded Amethyst.

She turned around, calling up the ramp and into the ship.

“Hey, you can come out!” she called, “We found ‘em!”

“ _We did?!_ ”

The sound of rapid footprints could be heard in the ship. Suddenly, a second figure burst out.

“P… Per…” Lapis whispered.

“Peridot!” exclaimed Stevonnie.

Peridot was a bundle of energy as she skidded into position next to Amethyst. She still wore a sleeveless leotard, but the yellow diamond had been replaced by a wide, light green star, and the darker straps beneath them formed a Y-shape. Below this, her pants were the same colour they’d always been, but the diamonds were again replaced with green stars, and she wore a dark pair of boots. She waved excitedly at the fusion.

“Stevonnie!” she exclaimed, “I knew we’d find you! I mean, I knew we’d find your _body_ , but you still being alive is an excellent bonus!”

“Uh, Peridot…” Lapis said, “I…”

“I knew making you Captain was the optimal choice!” continued Peridot, turning to Amethyst.

“Hey, c’mon, Per,” replied Amethyst, smirking as she put an arm around Peridot’s waist, “Couldn’t have done it without my first mate.”

“True, you couldn’t have,” nodded Peridot, “I couldn’t ask for a better partner…”

Amethyst chuckled and leaned in, locking lips with the green gem.

Stevonnie gasped, stars in their eyes, as they watched the two gems kiss. Lapis, on the other hand, felt her fists and teeth clench, a deep feeling of discomfort in her very being. This didn’t make sense! She’d thought Peridot had been dead for years, but here she was… and with Amethyst? It was like a bandage had been roughly torn off, a stitched hole in her psyche suddenly torn asunder.

Amethyst let go of Peridot, who stepped back - she blushed and grinned a lopsided, almost goofy smile. It slowly fell away as she finally turned to Lapis.

“Oh,” she said, “Hello, Lazuli. Nice to see you too.”

“Peridot, I…”

“Amethyst, I’m going to make sure our systems are still in order,” Peridot continued flatly, “I’ll tell the crew we found Stevonnie.”

“You do you, Peri,” nodded Amethyst.

Peridot nodded, turned, and marched up the ramp.

“Well,” said Amethyst, “Honestly, that went better than I expected.”

“ _Better?_ ” asked Lapis incredulously, “You mean you expected _worse?_ ”

“Yeah,” replied Amethyst, “She didn't punch you.”

“So she… _hates_ me,” said Lapis, staring down at her feet.

“Lapis, I’m sure it’s not that…” Stevonnie began.

“Yeah, pretty much,” interrupted Amethyst, shrugging, “So, what’ve you two been up to here? Must’ve been in the middle of something interesting if you guys are fused.”

“Uh, Amethyst? I… uh…” Stevonnie scratched the back of their head. “I… I actually haven’t unfused since… since I last saw you.”

Amethyst stared, her mouth slightly agape.

“You’ve been fused for _ten years_ ,” she said. It was not a question but a statement.

“Yeah, I just… I like it this way?”

Amethyst stood completely still.

“Uh, Amethyst?”

“I… I… _I knew it!_ ”

Amethyst pumped her fist into the air.

“I knew it! I knew you’d be the next Garnet!” she exclaimed, “I told them! I had five bucks riding on it, and Pearl… Pearl…”

She trailed off, her face falling.

“Pearl’s not with you?” asked Stevonnie.

“I haven’t seen anyone,” replied Amethyst mournfully, “Not Pearl, not Garnet, not Bismuth. It’s just been us, alone, for ten years.”

There was a long silence. Stevonnie bit their lip, reaching forward to put a hand on their friend’s shoulder - but suddenly she burst back into life, a big, somewhat forced grin on her face.

“But yeah, it’s been awesome!” she exclaimed, “We’ve just been cruising along, raiding Homeworld ships, racking up a _bounty_ on our heads! We’re worth _three Pearls!_ Oh, and we made a pirate haven! Oh man, you’ve gotta come see that…”

She clicked her fingers.

“We’ll take you guys!” she said, “You and Lapis! You should come see it! It’s awesome, you can… hey, where’d Lapis go?”

Stevonnie turned. Lapis was gone - the lack of footprints indicated that she’d flown away. They frowned - they’d been so caught up in talking to Amethyst that they’d paid no attention to Lapis’ feelings. And given what both Peridot and Amethyst had said…

“I’m gonna go find her,” they said.

* * *

Lapis sat in the corner of the barn, head in her hands.

 _Of course it was too good to be true_ , she thought. She'd hoped beyond hope that she would see Peridot again for years; now, when she'd thought she'd come to terms with her being gone, she'd returned. She was alive, she had a girlfriend, she was _happy_ , and she had absolutely no time for her former barnmate. And Lapis couldn't honestly blame her.

The ship had sailed, and she'd been left behind.

“Lapis?”

Lapis looked up. Stevonnie had climbed up to the barn and was now stepping carefully towards her. She sighed and nodded, allowing them to sit next to her.

“I can't even blame her,” she said flatly, “I took everything she had and ran away. I ripped her heart out, Stevonnie. I deserve this.”

Stevonnie put a hand on her shoulder.

“Look,” they said, “I know she's mad now, but give her some time. Maybe you can be friends again, and… well, maybe one day…”

“But that's the thing!” exclaimed Lapis, “I don't… I don't love her anymore, so…”

Her voice broke.

“ _So why does it hurt so much?_ ”

She leaned forward, burying her face in her folded arms as she broke down. Stevonnie rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her, trying to think about what to say.

“Maybe… maybe it's because you still value Peridot's friendship,” they suggested, “And you don't want to lose that, even if you're not _in_ love anymore.”

“But why get upset about it?” demanded Lapis, “It's _done!_ What's the point?”

“Because it's sad,” replied Stevonnie, “You miss what you had, and it feels like you'll never get it back…”

They looked down at the floor.

“And sometimes, you can't,” they said quietly.

They looked back to Lapis, putting their arm around her shoulder.

“But maybe it's not too late!” they said, “Amethyst wants us to come with them to their… pirate haven, she called it? Maybe that's your chance to make up with Peridot and be friends again!”

“You mean… leave the island?” asked Lapis.

“Not _forever_ ,” said Stevonnie, “Just… call it a vacation!”

Lapis rubbed her elbow over her eyes.

“A vacation,” she said, “Maybe… maybe I'd like that…”

* * *

“Aw man, whoever has that hotel on Park has it _made_ …”

Amethyst was looking over Stevonnie and Lapis’ abandoned game as she waited for them to come back. She had wandered the beach while they were gone, and found a few pieces of fruit to eat (very juicy, sort of bitter, possibly poisonous). It didn't seem a bad place to make a home, she thought - maybe she and Peridot could settle on an island like this, if the Rebellion ever ended.

“Amethyst?”

She looked up. Lapis had just landed next to the ship, Stevonnie in tow. She rubbed her arm nervously.

“We've talked about it, and… and we wanna come with you,” she said, “To the pirate haven.”

Amethyst grinned.

“Well,” she said, “Welcome back to the world, guys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, I'm not writing the island out of this story at all. I'm just widening the scope a tad...


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who like Lapis and Peridot's friendship (and I assure you, I am one of them)... have you ever heard the phrase 'it's gonna get worse before it gets better?'
> 
> Thanks again to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for helping with this story! Read their stuff. Do it now!

**Chapter Twelve**

“Welcome to the _Crystal Avenger_ , my dudes!”

Stevonnie looked around the blue, hexagonal bridge of the ship. The front three panels were open, or at least appeared to be open, showing the world outside the vessel. Behind the windows (or perhaps screens?) were three seats and consoles, and in the centre of the room was the Captain’s chair. It reminded them of Lars’ ship, and not for the first time, they wondered what had become of him.

The middle chair was the only one that was occupied - a tall, light-blue gem sat in the seat, preparing the ship for takeoff. Stevonnie pursed their lips - they could have sworn they’d seen her before.

Wait a minute - they _had._ Or more accurately, _Steven_ had.

“Zircon?”

The blue Zircon turned in her chair, tilting her head.

“Do I know you?” she asked, “I…”

Her eyes were drawn to their gem, and she nodded.

“Oh, right, you’re Rose Quartz… no, wait, Steven,” she said, “You’re Steven.”

“Stevonnie,” they replied, “I’m Stevonnie now.”

Zircon clutched her head.

“Stevonnie, Steven, Rose, Pink Diamond,” she exclaimed, “How many names do you _have?!_ ”

“How do you…”

“I filled everyone in,” explained Amethyst, “Figured they’d better know the truth. Less complicated that way.”

“ _Less_ complicated?!” spluttered Zircon.

“Less complicated in the ways that matter,” shrugged Amethyst.

She chuckled to herself and turned to Stevonnie and Lapis. The blue gem was looking frantically from left to right - she was clearly nervous. Stevonnie couldn’t blame her - they were nervous too. It had been so long since they’d been around anyone else, since they’d left the island. They almost couldn’t remember how to interact with other people…

“Zircon, set these guys up with a cabin,” she said.

“Yes, Captain,” nodded Zircon, “One or two?”

“Well, there’s two of them, Zircs,” shrugged Amethyst, “Let’s go for…”

“Actually…”

Lapis rubbed her arm, looking at her feet.

“I… I don’t think I’m comfortable with…” She bit her lip and looked up. “I don’t wanna be alone. I mean, if… if you want your own cabin, Stevonnie, I can probably…”

Stevonnie smiled.

“One’s fine,” they said.

“One it is,” nodded Amethyst, “Make it happen, Zircon!”

“Yes, Captain!”

She tapped a button on her console.

“Done,” she said, “It’s there when you need it!”

“Wait,” quizzed Stevonnie, “Did you just _create_ a cabin? Just for us?”

“Spatial warping tech,” said Zircon, “Era-2 ships are really big on it. Bigger on the inside, and you can create rooms whenever you need them.”

“Oh,” nodded Stevonnie, “Like a TARDUM.”

There was a long silence.

“... _sure_ , like… whatever that is,” said Amethyst, “Let’s go with that.”

“How long’s it gonna take to get to this… pirate haven?” asked Lapis.

“A bit,” shrugged Amethyst, “It’s in an Oort Cloud to stop Diamond ships from detecting it and junk, but we can't warp through there so we've gotta go slow. I'd say about a day, maybe?”

“Unless there's a patrol,” added Zircon, “ _Again._ ”

“Hey, we shook ‘em off last time!”

Amethyst chuckled as Zircon sighed.

“So,” she said, “Let me show you guys to your cabins…”

* * *

Lapis stood nervously outside the door to the Captain’s Cabin. She felt a deep bit in her being - what would she say? What _could_ she say? Maybe it would be better if…

...no. She wouldn't run from this. Not this time. She closed her eyes, nodded, and stepped forward - the door opened automatically.

The Captain’s Cabin was surprisingly… _human_ for a gem warship. A large double bed sat next to a window looking out into space, next to a small dresser with a lamp. It looked almost too neat for Amethyst - if you ignored the right-hand side of the room, which was covered in piles and piles of junk and trinkets. Here she found Peridot, ankle deep in trash and digging for something - she didn’t look up as Lapis entered.

“Whatever you want’s probably in the pile somewhere,” she muttered.

“I, uh… I wanted to talk to you.”

Peridot looked up, lips pursed. Lapis rubbed her arm.

“Why would you want to do that?” demanded Peridot.

“Because… because I want to say… I want to say I’m sorry.”

Peridot said nothing, so Lapis continued.

“I’m sorry I left you behind, and I’m sorry I never came back, and… I’m sorry I hurt you,” she said, wincing as she noticed her rambling tone, “And I know I don’t deserve it but-but I wanna be friends again, i-i-if that’s okay I mean, and…”

“Lazuli…”

Peridot furrowed her brow.

“…are you _clodding serious?!_ ”

Lapis jumped as the small green gem shouted out.

“Do you _really_ think you can just say _sorry_ and come back into my life?” she demanded, “A-a-are you really that… _do you really understand how much you hurt me?_ ”

“Peridot…”

“ _Don’t ‘Peridot’ me, Lazuli!_ ” bellowed Peridot, “You didn’t just leave me behind, you took _everything I had!_ You ruined my _entire life!_ ”

She began to pace.

“And you know, it wouldn’t have been so bad,” she continued, “Because I rebuilt everything - _better than it was_. I got my own room in the Temple, and I didn’t feel like I constantly had to be _walking on eggshells_ around the other gems, and… and…”

She stopped and clenched her fists.

“…and all that time, I still wanted you to come back,” she said, “And you _didn’t_. And maybe if you _had_ , I wouldn’t have lost everything again.”

“…I…”

“You could’ve won,” Peridot said bitterly, “You could’ve at least slowed them down. But you _didn’t_. And now the Earth is _gone._ ”

She gazed out the window, and Lapis could see her shaking.

“I saw it, Lazuli,” she said, “I saw the Cluster emerge under White Diamond’s power. It was like… it was like watching a clod of dirt shaken apart. Billions of humans… just _gone_. There wasn’t even enough left to make an asteroid belt. Just… _dust._ ”

She turned around, looking Lapis straight in the eye.

“And you did _nothing,_ ” she spat.

Lapis’ mouth opened, but nothing came out.

“You should really be glad Amethyst has forgiven you,” she said flatly, almost mechanically, “You should be glad that Stevonnie seems to like you for some illogical reason. If it were up to me, we’d have left you on that island.”

She turned her back again.

“You know where the door is.”

Lapis opened and closed her mouth quietly - she imagined she might look like a fish, which would be an entertaining thought if she weren’t so shattered. The venom in her former friend’s tone, the look in her eyes…

‘Sorry’ wasn’t enough, and she didn’t know what would be. And her mind told her, bitterly and venomously, _you deserve this._

She backed out of the cabin, the doors sliding shut behind her, before running off down the corridor in search of solitude.

* * *

The bridge was quiet. Zircon had long since left; the ship was on autopilot, so she wasn’t needed on the helm. Peridot sat alone on one of the chairs, staring out into space. She was deep in thought, her feelings complex and changing from minute to minute. Was she angry? Depressed? Did she feel anything at all? She couldn’t quite tell. She didn’t feel _numb_ , she didn’t feel _focused_ , she just… _felt._

The door behind her opened.

“Yo, Peri, you up to talk?”

Peridot said nothing as Amethyst strolled over, but she made no attempt to stop her from sitting down next to her.

“So,” she said, pursing her lips, “Um… _Lapis._ ”

“What about her?” replied Peridot curtly.

“She’s… well, she’s back,” said Amethyst, “And something tells me you’re not coping with that.”

“I’m coping perfectly,” grunted Peridot.

“Yeah, that’s why you’re sitting alone and staring out into space,” replied Amethyst.

“It’s _aesthetically pleasing_ , Amethyst.”

“Yeah, I didn’t emerge yesterday, ‘Dot,” said Amethyst bluntly, “You only do this when something’s bugging you. And I’m pretty sure Zircon didn’t move your stuff this time.”

She put a hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Come on, babe. Lay it on me.”

Peridot closed her eyes and shook her head.

“I thought… I thought it was _finished_ ,” she said, “And… and I wasn’t _happy_ that it was finished, but it didn’t _hurt_ anymore, you know? It’s like…”

“…ripping out a stitch?”

“Not even that!” Peridot threw her arms into the air in frustration. “I was over her! I still _am_ over her! I don’t… I don’t like her in that way, I like _you_ in that way, but…”

She clutched her hair.

“…but I still feel something about her, and I don’t know _what!_ ”

She got up, throwing her chair off to the side, and paced furiously around the room.

“I’m mad because she hurt me,” she snapped, “But I’m happy because she’s back, but… I’m sad because things are gonna be different now, and-and I feel _guilty?!_ Why would I feel _guilty?!_ What have _I_ done?! Why does everything need to be complicated? Why do I have to feel things like… like a _clod?!_ ”

Amethyst shrugged.

“Maybe you feel bad because you don’t love her like you used to,” she suggested.

“But that’s illogical!” exclaimed Peridot, “I…”

“Dude, feelings ain’t _logical_ ,” replied Amethyst, “Sometimes I get real tempted to jump out the airlock and see if I can space-swim to the next planet, and I know I can’t, but… I guess my mind says it’d be really cool? I dunno, minds are stupid.”

She stood up, putting her hands on Peridot’s shoulders.

“There’s nothing wrong about feeling guilty,” she said, “It’s just what your brain is saying…”

“I don’t have a brain.”

“You know what I mean,” Amethyst chuckled.

Peridot let out a long moan, her muscles loosening, her shoulders ridding some of their tension and slowly lowering.

“What do I do, Ames?” she asked.

“Well, there’s a long-term and a short-term solution,” shrugged Amethyst, “Maybe you and Lapis can just be friends? I mean, not right now, ‘cause you gotta feel ready before you start talking to her again, but… you can be friends without being in love, you know? What did you call it back then? Barn mates?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Peridot frowned. “I… I’m being like she was when she first moved in, aren’t I?”

“Yep, sorta,” said Amethyst.

“Aw,” Peridot looked at her feet, “I’m a _hypocrite_.”

“Yeah, but you’re _my_ hypocrite.”

Peridot smiled, blushing.

“So, uh, what’s the short-term solution?” she asked.

Amethyst grinned, putting a hand on Peridot’s left cheek. It was warm to the touch, almost like touching a warm compress had had been out for a little too long, but still maintained some of its heat.

“We head to our cabin,” she replied, “And we take some of the edge off.”

Peridot’s blush deepened.

“That… that could work,” she replied.

“That _always_ works,” chuckled Amethyst.

She pulled her into a quick kiss before leading her to the door, arm over her shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, that's the Lapis-Peri relationship nadir passed.
> 
> ...or IS IT?!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pirate haven time!
> 
> Thanks again to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for helping with this story! Read 'A Greater Good' - it's really good and not horrifying at all. :D

**Chapter Thirteen**

Lapis had been worryingly quiet for most of the voyage. She didn't want to talk about whatever was upsetting her, and Stevonnie understood that she needed her space, but the uncomfortable, awkward looks exchanged between the blue gem and Peridot as they stood on the bridge gave them some idea.

Amethyst sat on the captain’s chair, hands tucked behind her head. She resembled a bored teenager more than a feared pirate.

“They're on comm, Captain,” Zircon announced.

“Put me through.”

The screen in front of them - they were screens, Stevonnie now decided - shifted. A green-tinted face now gazed at them. It was a Peridot, her expression subtly different from the one standing with them. She seemed to have a slight oversight, and her visor was more round at the bottom. They couldn't see their gem.

“Yo, Lenny,” said Amethyst, “We’re coming in! Give us a dock.”

“ _The c-correct terminology is ‘re-requesting docking clearance,_ ’” ‘Lenny’ replied softly, “ _A-a-and the Harbour Master wants me t-to tell you that you f-forgot to… you forgot to call ahead again._ ”

“Yeah, tell _him_ I'm a pirate and I don't do rules,” said Amethyst, “Come on, you got a berth or what?”

“ _...d-docking bay three is o-open, ma'am._ ”

“Lenny, call me Amethyst, not ma'am.”

“ _Yes, ma'am._ ”

Amethyst snorted as the screen changed back to a view of space.

“Lenny?” quizzed Lapis, crossing her arms.

“Well, she needed a name, ‘cause we already got a Peridot,” shrugged Lapis, “And she was 5LY, so… Lenny!”

“Wouldn’t Lily have made more sense?” asked Stevonnie, “Y’know, because she’s green?”

Amethyst blinked.

“Okay, I’ll be honest with you,” she said, “She hangs around with this one Jasper a lot, and I thought it would be funny to name them… uh…”

She scratched the back of her head.

“… _Lenny and Carl._ ”

“I still don’t get the joke,” interjected Zircon.

“That makes two of us,” said Peridot flatly.

“We’re coming out of the Oort Cloud now,” declared Zircon, “You should be able to see the haven just about… _now._ ”

The kaleidoscope of clouds vanished, and they found themselves staring at what looked like a floating collection of rickety shacks in the void of space. It was garish in colour - blue and green and yellow and brown, and built from all manner of alien materials. Stevonnie could just about make out a ramshackle grid of streets, neon signs, dozens of docked ships of all shapes and sizes - Hand Ships, Roaming Eyes, vessels that looked like Aquamarine’s and others they could not recognise. If they squinted, they could just about see figures bustling to and fro on the strange, almost wooden-textured roads.

“Stevonnie, Lapis,” declared Amethyst, “Welcome to New Earth.”

She smirked.

“We were gonna call it World’s End, but apparently that was a bit ‘on-the-nose.’”

* * *

It took about twenty minutes for them to dock, but finally Stevonnie found themself stepping onto a new world (if this ramshackle space station could be called a world.) A deep metallic smell immediately filled their nostrils as they wandered down the ramp onto what looked almost like an ordinary pier - except piers generally weren’t lime green in colour. At the end of the dock, they could see an avenue, shadowed by precarious buildings with rickety, uneven walls. At the end of the avenue, they could see two large, vaguely cubical buildings with big neons signs - to the left was the ‘Diamonds’ Lament,’ to the right the ‘Museum of Earth.’

“There’s a whole society here,” they breathed.

“So you’re a mayor, too?” asked Lapis, crossing her arms.

“Nah, mayoring’s not for me,” shrugged Amethyst, “I’m just a pirate, dude. Now come on, let's get out of here before _he_ shows up and…”

She was interrupted by the loud sound of somebody clearing their throat.

“…dang it.”

They turned around. Behind them was a tall man - a human, Stevonnie realised with shock. He was tall and muscular, his forehead heavily scarred. A single strand of blonde hair, almost like a mohawk, ran down the back of his head, and he had a thick beard that seemed to split into strands. He wore a white singlet, heavy, khaki pants and a pair of dirty and worn boots. His face, though - Stevonnie couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of deja vu…

_Wait._

“P… _Peedee?_ ” they exclaimed, “Y-you’re _alive?!_ ”

Peedee looked towards them, dark, rimmed eyes widening.

“Steven? Connie?”

“It’s Stevonnie now,” replied Stevonnie, “I… I can’t believe you’re alive!”

They leapt forward, pulling their old friend into a hug. Slowly, as if in a dream, Peedee returned the gesture.

“Yeah, I probably should’ve mentioned that earlier,” shrugged Amethyst, “We found him on our way off Blue Diamond’s ship. Couple of other people too. I think she was taking ‘em to the Zoo.”

“Yeah,” grunted Lapis, “You probably should have.”

Peridot shot her a dirty look as Peedee and Stevonnie broke their embrace.

“Okay, that’s… that’s… _wow_ ,” said Peedee, “Uh, um… anyway, Amethyst, you didn’t fill out your docking paperwork. _Again_.”

“I’m a pirate, Peedee,” snapped Amethyst, “I’ve got _cred_ to live up to. Now, you gonna make a fuss about this? I gotta show ‘Vonnie and Water Emo around the place.”

“Hey!” barked Lapis.

“Ugh!” Peedee shook his head. “Just remember to do it properly next time, alright?”

“You know I won’t!” said Amethyst, grabbing Stevonnie by the hand and running off, “Bye!”

They raced down the dock and out onto the street, ducking past a pair of Amethysts and a human Stevonnie didn't recognise. Come to think of it, there were quite a few wandering up and down the narrow street; adults and children of all shapes and sizes, perhaps a little dirty and worn, but alive nonetheless.

“Did all these people come from the Zoo?” they asked.

“Nope,” replied Amethyst, “Big Blue moved it - we haven't found it yet. But the Diamonds had been grabbing people off Earth for weeks before they destroyed it - we found bunches of ‘em in transports we raided early on. Reckon we've got about a hundred here, give or take?”

Stevonnie shook their head, a giddy smile crossing their face.

“So we made it,” they said softly, “Even when they destroyed Earth, humans survived…”

“Yeah, mostly thanks to us,” shrugged Amethyst, nodding to herself and Peridot, “So yeah, you're welcome.”

They approached the building labelled ‘Museum of Earth.’ It didn't look much like a museum; it was built from the same strange mismatch of materials as the rest of New Earth. Four dusty mannequins, their glossy paint peeling, were displayed outside - one displayed a set of samurai armour, one an ornate Georgian dress, one a normal-looking business suit, and one a red-and-white soldier’s uniform.

“Where'd you get those?” asked Lapis.

“Long story,” replied Amethyst, walking over to the door, “Taken from Blue Diamond’s ships. Don't ask the Curator about it or you'll be here forever.”

She opened the door.

They entered a small, dusty room. A makeshift desk of planks sat opposite them - a bespectacled, somewhat disheveled man in a ragged white shirt and red tie, covered by a stained waistcoat, was climbing enthusiastically to his feet.

“Welcome to the Museum of Earth!” he exclaimed, “I'm the Curator and…”

“Yeah, hey man,” said Amethyst flatly, “Where’s Vi? I need to pick up… the _thing_.”

“What thing?”

Amethyst rolled her eyes, pointing to Stevonnie’s gem.

“Uh… it's… it's a lovely gem, nice shade of pink…”

“Yeah, it's a _Rose Quartz_ ,” said Amethyst bluntly.

The Curator blinked.

“Oh, right,” he said, “ _Vidalia! Captain Amethyst’s here!_ ”

The door behind him opened. The woman that emerged looked old, her eyes sunken and dull, her skin pale, her clothes ragged and covered in patches. She wore a navy jumpsuit that was covered in dark stains, and her left arm was tucked behind her back. Her eyes widened as she saw Stevonnie.

“S… Steven?” she gasped, her voice almost rasping.

“Vidalia?” replied Stevonnie, “You… you're okay!”

“Well, what's left of me is.”

She revealed her left arm. The sleeve was rolled up, revealing what looked like a Peridot’s limb enhancer grafted to the visible stump just below her elbow. She waggled her strange, detached fingers as if to prove that they were hers.

“Is… are Sour Cream and Onion okay?” asked Stevonnie, “Or Yellowtail? I…”

Vidalia sighed.

“I don’t know where Yellowtail and Sour Cream are,” she admitted, “But I’ve still got Onion, so… sometime you just have to focus on what you still have.”

Stevonnie nodded. It was a sentiment they knew all too well.

“So, Vi, you still got it?” asked Amethyst.

Vidalia nodded.

“Back drawer, same as always,” she replied, “I didn’t lock the back door behind me so you should just be able to walk right in.”

“Great!” nodded Amethyst, “Give Lapis the tour while we’re gone. Peri, hang with them.”

“Wait, _what?_ ”

Amethyst grabbed Stevonnie by the arm and dragged them through the door, leaving the two former barnmates alone. There was a long silence.

“...so,” said the Curator at last, “Shall we get started on the tour? I…”

“I’ll take this one,” said Vidalia.

“Okay,” said the Curator glumly, sitting back down.

* * *

The tour wasn’t long; there were only two rooms. From what Vidalia had told Lapis, the ship from which they’d taken the artifacts wasn’t particularly large, and judging by the collection aboard, had only contained objects from a couple of a museums in Britain and France. She’d apologised for the ‘Eurocentric’ nature of the museum, which Lapis didn’t quite understand - she only vaguely understood what a ‘Europe’ was, anyway.

Throughout the tour, Peridot had been quiet, only occasionally shooting Lapis a glance that seemed cold - but not as cold as she had been the previous night. Part of Lapis wished it was - it was so hard to decipher what she was thinking.

They were back outside now. Lapis sat on the curb (it seemed to be wooden - maybe they’d found trees on another planet) and looked up at the sky. There was no star, at least not one that was particularly close, and yet the haven was lit by the colourful Oort Cloud that encircled it on all sides. It shifted colour from moment to moment - red, green, yellow, blue - and under each light the environment seemed to change subtly, so that nothing really looked the same from moment to moment. One second it was dark, then it was lights. Shadows danced as they shifted in length and darkness, almost like an elaborate, surrealist shadow puppet show. It was beautiful but chaotic, and it made her head spin. She definitely wouldn’t consider leaving their island for this.

“So, Lazuli.”

Lapis jumped as Peridot stood up.

“I… I talked to Amethyst last night,” Peridot continued, “And I… I want to apologise.”

Lapis said nothing, so she continued.

“I was angry,” she explained, “And I still am. And if I’m completely honest, I don’t know how I feel about you anymore. That said, you didn’t destroy the Earth. You didn’t send the Diamonds. It… it wasn’t your fault.”

She sighed, sitting down on the curb next to Lapis.

“I still left,” reminded Lapis.

“Yes,” nodded Peridot, “I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to forgive you for that or not. But I’m… _Grr!_ Why is this so hard?!”

She shook her head furiously and clutched her hair.

“What I’m trying to say is,” she finally said in a irritated tone, “I… I’m willing to try and be friends again.”

She looked at her feet.

“But that’s it,” she said, “Just friends. No more.”

Lapis breathed in and nodded.

“That’s all I want,” she replied, “Honestly, I just… don’t feel that way anymore? Is… is that a bad thing?”

“It probably makes this a lot less complicated,” shrugged Peridot.

She scratched her chin.

“Although Amethyst did say she’d be ‘down for a threeway…’”

“A what?” asked Lapis, “Isn’t that a kind of road?”

Peridot blinked.

“No,” she said, “It’s… it’s a human ritual in which they… uh… um… well, basically, it’s an extension of…”

She pursed her lips and ran a hand through her hair.

“Look, you know what humans do instead of having kindergartens, right?”

“I think so, yeah,” nodded Lapis, “They talked about it in a ‘novel’ I found at the barn.”

“Yeah, well, it’s like that, but for fun,” said Peridot, “And with an extra person.”

Lapis pursed her lips.

“Didn’t seem fun to me,” she shrugged, “Just sorta weird. I kinda skipped past it. I mean, I get _love_ , but… I don’t get why you need to do that.”

“I mean, it’s fun when you try… I mean… if you wanted to…”

Peridot shook her head.

“I don’t wanna have this conversation,” she said.

Lapis nodded.

“So… where does this leave us?” she asked, “Just… awkward, for now?”

“I believe so,” said Peridot.

Lapis leaned back, looking up at the sky.

“Well, I’ll take that over not talking at all,” she said.

The door opened. Lapis climbed to her feet as Amethyst and Stevonnie emerged, the latter holding something behind their back. They grinned.

“Hey, Lapis,” they said, “Look what Amethyst grabbed when she escaped Blue Diamond’s ship.”

They produced the object - large, ornate and pink. They grinned as they looked down at the enormous pink sword; a little dusty, but intact just the same.

For the briefest moment, Lapis saw not Stevonnie, but an echo of Rose Quartz, back from the dead to lead her army to freedom against the Diamonds. She felt a shiver down her spine; but whether it was awe or a deep, dark fear of what might come next, she could not tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's a start. :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the hiatus, but let's get right back into this, shall we?
> 
> Thanks again to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) and for helping suggest the ending song for this chapter!

**Chapter Fourteen**

Were it not for the fact that it was in space, and largely patronised by gems of various shapes, sizes and colours, the Diamonds’ Lament would look like a tavern from an old pirate movie. It was dark and somewhat dingy, and a long haired man was playing an old accordian in the corner of the bar. It had character, in a sad but strangely inspiring way.

Lapis sat at a table, tapping absently on the wooden (or at least she thought it was wooden) surface as she waited for Stevonnie and Amethyst to return. She wondered what they ate and drank here, and where they got it from. Perhaps Amethyst stole the supplies from Homeworld? But Homeworld didn’t need to eat or drink, so that was probably a bit of a stretch.

She was lifted from her thoughts as the bench shook - Stevonnie sat down next to her.

“You okay?” they asked.

“Yeah.”

Stevonnie put a hand on her shoulder.

“Really?”

Lapis sighed.

“No, not really.”

She sat back, looking up at the roof and sighing deeply.

“It feels like things have suddenly started moving too quickly,” she explained, “Before it was just us, and I knew where everything was. Now it’s Amethyst and Peridot and Peejay…”

“Peedee.”

“Yeah, Peedee.” Lapis shook her head. “And I know this is great, and I shouldn’t be so… I’m not even upset, I just feel…”

“Anxious?” asked Stevonnie.

“Yeah, anxious,” nodded Lapis, “It’s all so loud and everything’s happening so fast, and… I kinda liked our little island. But-but I know you’re gonna wanna stay here with all your friends, so I guess I’m just gonna have to...”

“Actually,” interrupted Stevonnie, “I… kind of don’t think I want to live here.”

They ran a hand through their hair.

“I mean, I’d like to _visit_ here whenever I can,” they explained, “Because, hey, Amethyst and Peridot and Peedee and Vidalia are all alive, and that’s _amazing_ , but… it’s not _home_.”

Lapis nodded.

“But how can you visit?” she asked, “We’re talking about two completely different parts of space. How can you just _drop by?_ ”

“I’m glad you asked that, bucko!”

Amethyst slid into view, carrying a tray of… drinks. They were a strange blue colour, and Lapis couldn’t at all decipher what they were.

“It’s Lapis,” she said.

“Right, yeah,” nodded Amethyst, “Uh… this is juice, by the by. Came from a fruit we found on this death world, but don’t worry, it’s _mostly_ not poisonous.”

She slammed a glass down in front of Stevonnie and then chugged her own.

“So,” she said, “I got talking to Lenny and she reckons she and some of the other ‘Dots might be able to look into settin’ you guys up a warp pad.”

“Really?” quizzed Stevonnie, eyeing their drink as they worked up the courage to try it, “Can they just... _do_ that?”

“Beats me,” shrugged Amethyst, “I can't work out this tech junk. But if they say they can, why not let ‘em?”

“Well, that sounds great!” exclaimed Stevonnie, “When can they set it up?”

“Whenever you're ready, my dude!” replied Amethyst.

“Then I guess…”

“Captain Amethyst!”

Amethyst sighed and turned around. A ragged, bearded man in a faded, patchy black-and-white uniform marched up, his face set into a scowl.

“Hello Captain Franks,” she said flatly.

“The raid on Blue Diamond’s mining convoys is in the advanced stages of planning,” snapped the captain, his tone sharp and officious, “You haven't turned up to any of our conferences.”

“I'm a pirate, dude,” replied Amethyst, “I'm, like, a _freelance_ rebel.”

“Lone wolves don't get far, captain,” growled Franks, “Only through combined action can we hope to overthrow the tyranny of…”

“Yeah, cool, gotcha,” nodded Amethyst, “Tell your war buddies I'll be ready when you are, okay?”

“Conference,” snapped Franks, “2300 hours. Be there.”

He turned and walked briskly away. Amethyst sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Roger that, Captain America,” she muttered.

“Who's that?” asked Lapis.

“I dunno, this week’s Napoleon,” Amethyst shrugged, “He's from the ‘human resistance.’ They change their leader every three weeks and they've got, like, two ships. And they're not even good ships.”

“So you're not the only one fighting back,” mused Stevonnie.

“Nah, just the only one who’s _good_ at it,” replied Amethyst, “So, what's say we…”

She was drowned out as the others in the tavern suddenly applauded, signalling the end of the long-haired man’s performance. He was replaced on stage by a thick-haired person, dirty and disheveled, who attracted his own cheers.

“Well, that's just about all we have time for,” he said, “Before we close up, I just wanna say a few things.”

“Who’s that?” whispered Lapis.

“I dunno,” shrugged Stevonnie, “He looks sorta familiar… I think he was on TubeTube?”

“We’ve all been up here for ten years,” said the man, “And we’ve made a pretty rad community out of this, but… but I feel like it’s worth reflecting on where we came from. And I know that’s kind of a downer, but…”

He ran his hands through his hair.

“...it helps us remember why we need to keep going,” he said, “For all the people who can’t be here today, and for all the people who’re gonna be here tomorrow.”

His eyes glistened in the dim light.

“This one goes out to them.”

Behind him, a young man began to play a rickety, homemade piano. The sound was strange and slightly off key, but it was, in it’s own way, charming. As the singer began to sing, the room suddenly fell deathly silent. Some people smiled, others turned their faces down so that they could not be seen. Lapis glanced at Stevonnie, and noticed that their eyes had become watery.

“Stevonnie?”

“Sorry,” replied Stevonnie, wiping their eyes with their arm, “It’s just… haven’t heard this one for a while.”

“Does it… does it normally affect people like this?” asked Lapis.

“Not on Earth,” said Stevonnie, “But maybe here.”

They closed their eyes and joined in.

 _I, I can remember,_  
Standing by the wall,  
And the guns shot above our heads,  
And we kissed as though nothing could fall,  
And the shame was on the other side,  
Oh we can beat them forever and ever,  
Then we could be heroes, just for one day…


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just barely less than a month between updates! Woo!
> 
> Thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for help with this chapter! I know I say this every chapter, but you absolutely should be reading her stuff. It's much better than mine.

**Chapter Fifteen**

“Okay, nice and easy, don’t drop it…”

Lapis watched as the trio of Peridots carefully hauled the inactive warp pad down the ramp of the _Crystal Avenger_ , their own Peridot watching intently from afar. First out of the ship, Lenny walked backwards, checking over her shoulder every so often as the group made their way to the ground. For the first time, Lapis was able to spot her gemstone, placed squarely in the middle of her navel. Across from Lenny, a Peridot with particularly messy hair was focused dutifully on their shared task, her face, half-covered in a darkly tinted green visor, pinched in exertion. The gemstone rested neatly on her left shoulder. Finally, a figure of ramrod straight posture and jerky movements, a visorless Peridot with one eye, the place where the right one would have been nesting her gemstone, was clad in a green, sleeveless jacket.

“O… ok… okay,” nodded Lenny, “P-put it down here.”

Slow and deliberate, they set the pad down on the ground. Lapis turned to their Peridot - she shrugged and nodded.

“A _reasonable_ effort,” she said.

It had been three months since their visit to New Earth. Since then, Lenny and her friends had worked hard on the new warp pad and were now finally ready to install it. They placed it  five hundred metres down the beach from the barn, just beyond the tree line - that way it was close, but not too close for comfort. Lapis did not want people to simply warp in without some warning.

Lenny turned to the messy haired Peridot.

“H-h-how long until y-you can connect it to the network, C?” she asked softly.

The left-shouldered gem, “C,” apparently, shrugged.

“‘Bout three cycles, give or take,” she replied, “Depends if X can keep up with me.”

“X” - the third Peridot - rolled her eyes.

“More like if _you_ don't get distracted,” she snarked, “Remember when you were supposed to be upgrading that ship’s escape pod and you built a _death ray?_ ”

C snorted.

“Yeah, that was fun.”

X shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Cautiously, Lapis wandered over to Peridot. Things still felt decidedly awkward between them, but she wasn't outright ignoring her now, which could only be a good sign.

“So, uh,” she began nervously, “Z doesn't seem like she gets on with C, and…”

“Z’s a _he_ , Laps.”

Amethyst stepped up behind them, lazily munching on a piece of fruit.

“She… I mean, he is?” asked Lapis.

“Yep,” nodded Amethyst, “Hung around with Peedee n’ Jeff back in the day, decided he liked their pronouns.”

Lapis nodded.

“Okay,” she said, “But what's he got against C?”

“Nothing,” replied Amethyst, “They're best friends. They just like to drag on each other a lot.

“Doesn't _sound_ friendly,” mused Lapis.

“Mm-hmm,” said Peridot, “Sometimes I just don't understand the other Peridots.”

She looked around and frowned.

“Where's Stevonnie, anyway?” she asked.

Lapis grunted.

“Practicing with Rose’s sword,” she replied, “ _Again._ I mean, I know they enjoy it, but… I don't know, it makes me uncomfortable.”

“You could get your own sword,” Amethyst shrugged, “Then you could have sword fights.”

Lapis pursed her lips but didn't reply.

“You guys talking about the human fusion?”

Lenny, C and Z wandered over - C had spoken, her grin widening as she mentioned Stevonnie.

“Man, they are _so cool!_ ” C continued, “I mean, Carl was watching them with that sword, and they’re like…” She mimed swinging a sword. “...and they’re not even breaking a sweat! It’s like that real famous rebel, what’s her name…”

“Rose Quartz,” said Z, “They’re her kid.”

“Yeah, right, I know, I just forgot the name,” nodded C, “But man, being them… wow. You’re so lucky to have themher, Blue. If I had a gem like that, I’d…”

“Oh, uh," Lapis did her best to hide her wince, but the flush that rushed to her cheeks was glaringly obvious. She still hadn't gotten used to the incessant need for nicknames.

"We’re just friends!” exclaimed Lapis, holding up her arms and blushing, “We’re not… it’s not… we’re barnmates!”

“But when 5XG talks about being _barnmates_ she clearly meant…”

“Okay, time to shut up now, C,” said Z dryly, putting his hand over her mouth.

Peridot crossed her arms.

“C, when humans live in a place together, they’re called roommates,” she explained, “They’re not _implicitly_ romantically involved. Ours was just a _specific_ case.”

“Can we please talk about something else?” asked Lapis, burying her face in her hands.

“Actually, I got a question,” said Amethyst, “Where’d Carl go?”

“W-went back to watch S-Stevonnie practice,” replied Lenny, “I-I-I think she wants to share t-technique for… for fighting the Diamonds. ‘C-cause when they get into fighting, I…”

“Wait,” snapped Lapis, “What do you mean ‘ _when they get into fighting?_ ’”

“Against Homeworld,” shrugged Z, “I mean, they’re gonna get into the fight at some point, so they’ve got to be…”

“ _Say’s who?_ ” demanded Lapis.

There was a long silence.

“Well, no-one, but we all know it’s gonna happen,” shrugged Amethyst, “I mean, it’s who they are?”

She frowned as Lapis clenched her fists.

“You don’t… you don’t _really_ think they’re just gonna hang around here while the Diamonds are still kicking everyone around, right?” she asked.

Lapis turned and marched briskly away without comment.

Amethyst took a deliberate, theatrical breath.

“Ho’ boy,” she said, “Stormy weather comin’.”

“But it’s a sunny day.”

“It’s an expression, babe.”

* * *

The tension in the barn was palpable, the air heavier than usual as a result. Lapis reclined on the hammock, her face set in a deep frown as it swung gently back and forth. Stevonnie and Amethyst were preparing gathered-fruit for eating and talking about something or another, while Peridot inspected some of the morps around the structure, grunting occasionally as she internally critiqued the designs.

Occasionally, Lapis’ eyes fell on the big, pink sword propped against the wall in the corner. Most wouldn’t spare a second glance at it, but to her it felt like a threat. She could feel a phantom prick of sharpened metal against her gem and shuddered involuntarily. The accursed thing, she thought, would surely doom them all.

Or if it didn’t, it would take Stevonnie away. And for some reason, that troubled her even more.

“Okay, food’s on!” shouted Amethyst, “There's no table here so eat off the floor I guess!”

Lapis got up from the hammock as they gathered around next to the barn doorway. She found herself sitting closest to the sword - she felt almost as if it were watching her.

 _You’re being paranoid, Lapis,_ she thought to herself.

“So,” said Amethyst, “The human resistance keep talking about raiding Blue Diamond’s supply convoys because they think that’s gonna be an _amazing victory_ for them or something. Peedee wants us to babysit them in case they poke at something that can actually fight back.”

“Oh yeah, the mining convoys, right?” replied Stevonnie.

“Yeah, they’re gonna gloriously steal a big bunch of iron ore,” Amethyst replied dryly, “Oh, how that will hurt the Gem Empire!”

“But they’ve gotta fight back somehow, don’t they?” asked Stevonnie.

“Listen, ‘Vonnie,” replied Amethyst, “I get wanting to fight back - heck, that’s what me and Peri _do_ \- but the human resistance, they’re… well, they’re…”

“A bunch of _losers_ ,” grunted Peridot.

Amethyst pursed her lips. “Yeah, I was trying to be _nice_ , ‘Dot.”

“Why should I be nice?” demanded Peridot, “You’ve heard the way they talk about us, Ames! You know, when they think we’re not listening… and sometimes when they _know_ we’re listening…”

“They lost their planet, Peri.”

“Is there anyone else?” asked Stevonnie, “I mean, apart from you guys and the human resistance?”

Amethyst shrugged.

“Never found anyone,” she replied, “Most people on New Earth just want a new life. They don’t wanna pick fights. They just… they don’t think they can win, you know? Better to just keep your head down.”

“Don’t blame them,” muttered Lapis.

“But you can’t do that!” exclaimed Amethyst, “You just… Homeworld is _never_ gonna stop expanding. You might be able to hide from them for a while, but eventually, they’ll want your planet for some reason or another, and then what happens?”

She looked down at the floor, facing falling into a serious frown.

“You’ve gotta fight.” She ground out the words, fiercely spilling out her convictions. “Even if it’s just for the people you love. Even if it’s just for yourself. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

There was a long silence.

“So…” Stevonnie finally spoke up to break the quiet, “When are they gonna do this raid?”

“Month from now, maybe two,” replied Amethyst, “If they don't call it off again. You guys can come along if you want. I mean, it'll probably be like watching paint dry but…”

“I don't think we-” began Lapis.

“Sure!” replied Stevonnie, “I mean, now I have my sword back, why not?”

“Awesome!” nodded Amethyst, speaking up before Lapis could speak, “This'll be great! I mean, nothing’s gonna happen, but it's gonna be just like old times.”

“The Crystal Gems,” added Peridot, suddenly wistful. “Together again. Well, _partially_ , but-”

“I… I don't think that's such a good idea.”

All eyes fell on Lapis, and she felt a deep, cold sense of apprehension. She steeled herself, gently clenching her fists - she needed to say her piece.

“Lapis?” quizzed Stevonnie.

“I don't think you should be a Crystal Gem again,” said Lapis, “I think… I think it's over, and maybe we shouldn't…”

“It's over?” interrupted Stevonnie, “Lapis, it's not over! We’re still here! We can still beat them-”

“With _what?!_ ” Lapis climbed to her feet. “Do you know how many soldiers they have? How many ships? How many planets? And that's not even counting the Cluster…”

“What?” demanded Stevonnie, rising to Lapis’ level, “So we’re supposed to just lay down and die or something?”

“We don't _have_ to die!” Lapis snapped back, “We've got a _life_ here, Stevonnie! You can't just throw it away!”

“I wouldn't be throwing it away,” replied Stevonnie, crossing their arms, “I'd be _defending_ it! And everyone else as well!”

“But _why?_ ” demanded Lapis, “Why do you have to defend everyone else? Why can't you just think about yourself?”

“Because that's _selfish_ ,” replied Stevonnie, “And because…”

They took a deep breath.

“Because I _can't._ I can't stand to think that there might be someone I can help, but I'm doing nothing. I have to do _something_ , Lapis, even if it only helps one person. Even if I can't do that, even if it's pointless, I just… I have to try.”

“You have to try, huh?” growled Lapis, “What, you're gonna feel all good about yourself when you're _dead?”_

“It's not about feeling good about myself!” shouted Stevonnie, “It's about making a difference! Yeah, maybe I'll die, who knows, but I least I won't have to feel…”

“ _What about how I feel?!_ ”

The barn fell dead silent. Stevonnie recoiled, their jaw dropping slightly. Lapis was shaking, her hands balled into a tight fist - her eyes could be seen glistening in the twilight.

“How am I supposed to feel,” she continued, her voice shaking, “When you go off and die for everyone else and I'm just left here? I just… I…”

She unclenched her fists, her shoulders sagging.

“You're all I have left.”

Before Stevonnie could reply, Lapis had turned around and was walking for the door. Her gem glowed and her wings extended - she looked back for just a moment at Stevonnie. They still had said nothing, their jaw still slack.

She shook her head and flew off into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, a cliffhanger! :D


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Another chapter? And it hasn't been three months? Absurd!
> 
> Thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for help with this chapter! I really think I should be giving her more credit, this wouldn't be half as good without her input. CHECK OUT HER STUFF, EVERYONE.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Lapis stood just beyond the treeline, the beach and the sound of the ocean behind her. She could hear the waves behind her, crashing to the shore as the high tide came in. The birds and small animals she often heard in the jungle were quiet - there wasn’t much nocturnal life on the island - and the absence made her feel incredibly, terribly alone.

This was it, she thought - it was over. She was going to lose everything, and Stevonnie would never want her to come back after that argument. No, it was better to just leave, to shrink into the jungle, to live alone once again; it was better for everyone…

“So, where we going?”

Lapis jumped and spun around. Amethyst had walked up behind her, and was now casually leaning against a tree. Her face was twisted into a casual smile, as if she'd randomly come across her while wandering around a store or back street. It was somehow both endearing and infuriating.

“Amethyst?!” exclaimed Lapis, “How did you find me?”

“Dude, you're literally a hundred yards from the barn,” replied Amethyst, “I'm pretty sure they can still see us.”

She leaned back, cheerfully waving towards the distant shape of the barn.

“I… look, I'm leaving, okay? Just leave me…”

“No you're not,” replied Amethyst, “If you wanted to leave forever, you'd have flown off into space by now, right?”

“I…”

“Yeah, thought so,” Amethyst nodded, “So how about instead of sitting around beating yourself up for however long, why don't you just talk to someone?”

Lapis pursed her lips, doubtful. "And that's supposed to be you?"

"Why not?" The shorter gem responded with a shrug, expression just the right amount of smug to rub Lapis the wrong way. She didn’t get it; she was part of the _problem_.

"No thanks," she replied curtly, storming off deeper into the forest. The sound of twigs crackling and bushes bristling behind her annoyed her to no end, and she stopped before they'd made it ten-feet deeper.

“What are you doing?" She demanded, spinning on her heel and glaring at Amethyst, "Are you seriously going to follow me around until I - what? Open up to you?”

“Yeah! Let’s go camping!”

Lapis growled, clenching her fists and marching into the trees. “ _Go away._ ”

Amethyst smiled and followed, whistling to herself. “Not a chance. So you can keep nagging or suck it up, cause unless you’re ready to bolt it off-planet, you’re stuck with me.”

Swallowing down the urge to fling curses over her shoulder, Lapis just grit her teeth and kept walking. Camping, huh?

This, she thought, was going to be interesting.

* * *

The sun rose slowly over the waterfall, catching in the cascade with a dazzling spray of beautiful colours. A rainbow could be faintly seen shimmering over the damp rocks, and Amethyst felt the water lap around her ankles as it snaked down towards the sea. She could hear the long, deep calls of birds - or at least she thought they were birds - in the distance.

“ _Niiiiice_ , Laz.” she nodded, “I can see why you stayed here.”

Lapis grunted. She was laying on top of the stream, staring blankly at the sky through the tree cover. If she had a grungy band t-shirt and a cheap cigarette dangling from her lips, Amethyst thought she would be a shoe-in for a moody teenager.

Amethyst stepped over - for a moment, she felt something slimy under her foot, and privately hoped it was seaweed.

“You wanna talk?” she asked.

“About what?” Lapis demanded.

Amethyst shrugged. “Anything.”

She sat down in the shallow water next to the blue gem.

“I ever tell you about the time I left Peri on an asteroid?” she asked.

“You _what?_ ” Lapis replied incredulously.

Amethyst let out a humourless chuckle, absently playing with a few strands of her hair.

“We got into an argument - can't even remember what started it now,” she continued, “And we were exploring this space rock that some Homeworld bigwig was mining for coal or ore or something, and I just told her that if she didn't pull herself together, I was just gonna straight up leave her. And she called me a clod and said she'd be happier alone, so I just… _snapped_ , you know?”

“So you left her?” replied Lapis, “That's… _harsh._ But I guess it's no different to what I did.”

“Well it is,” shrugged Amethyst, “‘Cause I came back two hours later, and… well, we hugged and we cried a lot, and then we went back to the cabin, watched some CPH, and then we…”

She trailed off, thinking for a moment.

“...you comfortable talking about this?” she asked.

“About what, you and Peridot watching TV?” replied Lapis.

“No, about…” Amethyst scratched the back of her head. “Well, you know… _making love._ ”

Lapis blinked.

“ _Getting physical._ ”

Lapis blinked again.

“ _Sex!_ ” Amethyst exclaimed, gesticulating with her arms.

“Oh,” said Lapis, “You could've just said that. I mean, I know what it is, I think… is there a reason you brought this up?”

Amethyst shrugged.

“I guess the point was, people fight, then they forgive each other. Or they don't… I…”

She laid back, her head splashing into the water, long hair fanning out over the gentle current.

“I should've thought about where I was going before I started talking,” she muttered, “I guess I'm saying… it's gonna be okay?”

They lay in silence for something.

“Well,” said Lapis, “You tried. I guess.”

There was a short silence, and then Amethyst snorted and began to laugh.

* * *

“ _I’m on mah wae, from misery tae happiness todaeh…_ ”

“What are you doing?”

Lapis and Amethyst were trudging down a muddy slope - or rather, Amethyst was, and Lapis was floating just above it. The smaller gem didn’t mind; she was singing merrily and stomping down on the wet mud, grinning as it splashed around under her feet. The accent was strange, and Lapis guessed that even if she could place it, it would still be a poor imitation of the real thing.

“Singing an old Earth song,” replied Amethyst, “This one used to drive Pearl _nuts._ ”

“Can you stop?” asked Lapis testily.

“Sure, sure, I got another one!”

Amethyst cleared her throat.

“ _And I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more, just to be the gem who walked a thousand mi-_ AAAAAH!”

She slipped, falling hard on her back and sliding down the slope to the bottom, coming to rest against a tree trunk.

“Ow,” she grunted.

She sat up, and for a moment Lapis thought that she might finally be finished singing.

Her hopes were soon dashed.

“ _I can’t get no - DUN NAH NAH NAH - satisfaction…_ ”

Lapis sighed as they walked onwards, Amethyst’s singing echoing in the distance.

* * *

“Lapis, do you wanna have sex?”

Lapis raised an eyebrow.

“What, you mean right now?”

“Aw geez, no, I didn't mean… I mean in general,” replied Amethyst, “Like, if you were dating someone, and…”

They had stopped in front of the old Homeworld mine, the sun now high in the sky. They sat in the shade of a tall tree, Lapis again watching the clouds. She'd been doing this all day - walking, then sitting or lying down and watching something - and Amethyst wondered if it was her way of letting off steam.

Lapis pursed her lips, thinking.

“Do you _have_ to?” she replied, “Like, if you love someone, or if you're dating someone, do you have to…?”

“Nah, dude,” shrugged Amethyst, “There's no rules or anything. Took years before Peri was comfortable with it. If you don't wanna, you don't gotta. And I get the feeling you don't wanna.”

Lapis shook her head.

“It just… I don't _get_ it,” she said, “I read ‘novels’ and they say it's really important, and it's what makes love _love_ , but…”

“Well, what do you think it is?” asked Amethyst.

Lapis bit her lip, blushing.

“Uh… dancing?” she replied, “Holding hands? Uh, hugging? Maybe kissing, I guess? Just…”

“Being intimate?”

“Yeah.”

Lapis sighed, looking down at her feet.

“Is that wrong?” she asked.

“Nah, you're probably just ace,” replied Amethyst, “Plenty of people are! Like Peedee, he's a bit ace, I think he calls it grey…”

“Ace?” quizzed Lapis.

“Asexual.” Amethyst smiled. “Means you don't feel sexual attraction.”

“Oh.”

For the first time all day, Lapis managed a small smile. She looked back up at the clouds drifting by.

“I think I like the sound of that.”

* * *

“Why did you decide to fight?”

It was evening now, and they were sitting by the sea on the other side of the island. The beach wasn’t actually that different to the one by the barn - it was a different view, certainly, but there was still the same sea breeze, the same smell, the same picturesque, greenish sunset (although the sun now set over the island rather than the sea - that was definitely a downgrade.)

Amethyst looked up from the fire she’d been trying to make for half-an-hour.

“I’m a quartz, Lapis,” shrugged Amethyst, “It just comes to me.”

“So you’ve never even thought of just… hiding?” asked Lapis.

Amethyst opened her mouth, but stopped for a moment - she seemed to ruminate over her next few words.

“Yeah,” she replied, “Once.”

Lapis didn’t say anything, so she continued.

“There was this Carnelian,” she said, “Not the one from the Zoo, a different one - she joined our crew for a while. She was just… so optimistic, so hell-bent on giving Homeworld a kick up the…”

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again they seemed sombre, haunted.

“One time we raided a Homeworld lab,” she said, “It was a stupid idea but I promised a friend I’d look for… something. Anyway, we got seperated and Carnelian got cornered by an Agate and her soldiers. I just… I just remember running to get there and then…”

She took up a handful of sand.

“...dust. Just… red dust,” she said hollowly, “It wasn’t enough for them to shatter her, they had to… _grind_ her into… into _fucking sand._ Just to make _absolutely sure_ she wouldn’t come back.”

“What did you do to the Agate?” asked Lapis.

Amethyst gazed down at her hands. She opened her fingers, and the sand slowly trickled down to the Earth.

“You never forget the first time you shatter a gem,” she replied.

The air seemed to turn colder, and Lapis resisted the urge to shiver.

“Anyway, me and Peri talked about it. We were gonna take the _Avenger_ , find some planet in the middle of nowhere and just stay there. But, I just remember that… that red dust, and I think…”

She clenched her fists again.

“ _Nobody_ should have to go through that,” she finished, “Not if I can help it.”

They said nothing else as the sun set and darkness fell, but Lapis found she didn’t mind. There was a  lot to think about.

* * *

The sky was blood red.

Lapis stood on top of a pile of shattered wood by the beach, staring at the twisted remains of a blue ship - the _Crystal Avenger_. She tasted burning steel and the tang of copper -- _blood --_ in the air as choking, black ash rained down from the sky.

Slowly and numbly, she stepped towards the wreckage. She could see a glint of green - Peridot! She had to help her, she thought; she had to save her from the strange blight that had fallen upon them.

But as she approached, she saw another small glint, and another, and another…

_Shattered._

She fell to her knees, clutching her head. This couldn’t be happening - it just _couldn’t!_ Suddenly she could hear a hideous screaming sound, drilling into her very being. The world around was drained of colour - her vision was filled with white light, and she forced her eyes closed.

“ _You can't hide forever, Starlight._ ”

The voice sent a shiver down Lapis’ spine.

She opened her eyes. She was standing in a pure white void, almost so bright as to be painful. In front of her, she could see Stevonnie, sword drawn, looking up at something. Lapis followed their gaze - her eyes widened.

White Diamond towered above them, a serene smile on her face. She almost looked _motherly_.

“L-leave me alone!” shouted Stevonnie, “I don't want…”

“Oh, but it doesn't matter what we _want_ ,” replied White Diamond, “We have a _duty_. Come home, Starlight - end this silly little game.”

She reached out her titanic hand, aiming to scoop up the fusion.

“No!”

Lapis found herself running, bolting past Stevonnie and standing in front of them, arms outstretched.

“Get away from them!” she bellowed.

White Diamond stared down at her. Fear ran through her being, and her mind scolded her - _this is stupid, Lapis, just run, save yourself -_ but she refused to move.

Suddenly, White Diamond _smirked._

“Well,” she said, “Isn't this _interesting?_ ”

She extended a long, manicured finger and swiftly lowered it towards Lapis. There was no time to dodge - she closed her eyes and braced…

“Lapis? Dude, you okay?”

Lapis shot up, clutching her head.

She was back on the beach, Amethyst kneeling down next to her. The sea was calm, the sky clear and dotted with stars - everything was normal.

“It was… it was a dream,” she muttered, holding her arms tightly over her chest, worried she might come apart if she let her seams exposed.

“Looked more like a nightmare from here,” said Amethyst.

Lapis shook her head, taking slow, deliberate breaths to calm down.

“I saw White Diamond,” she said, “And Stevonnie, and… and I stood up to her.”

“Cool,” nodded Amethyst.

“Not cool!” exclaimed Lapis, “I think I _died!_ ”

“But you stood up for yourself, dude!” replied Amethyst, “You fought for something! Do you get it now?”

“Get it… no! I… I don't…”

Lapis stood up, clenching her fists.

“Stop trying to manipulate me!” she shouted.

“Manipulate you?” Amethyst stood up too. “What do you mean, _manipulate you?_ ”

“It's just like at the barn!” growled Lapis, “When you were telling Stevonnie they have to fight, that the Diamonds are gonna find us! You don't know that! You're just trying to get ‘em to…”

“ _I'm_ trying?” Amethyst threw her arms out. “ _Open your eyes, Lapis!_ They were _always_ gonna fight back. It's _who they are!_ It's who they're made of! Connie was always a fighter, and Steven couldn't stand to see anyone hurt…”

“And you preyed on that!” Lapis shouted, pointing a finger at Amethyst, “You _knew_ that if you just pushed them into…”

“So I nudged them a little,” snapped Amethyst, “It’s still _their choice_ , Lapis, not yours!”

She crossed her arms.

“Why the hell do you care, anyway?” she demanded.

“What do you mean, why do I care?” spluttered Lapis.

“As long as nothing happens to your barn or your island, why do you care what happens to Stevonnie?” Amethyst spat, “I mean, you can always just leave ‘em, right? Like you did to Peridot…”

“Don't you _dare…_ ”

“Well, tell me!” thundered Amethyst, “Why does it matter now when it didn't before? What changed? Why do you care so much about…”

“Well maybe I’ve changed! You ever think about that?!” demanded Lapis, “Maybe I don’t wanna be that person anymore! Maybe I’m done hurting people! And _maybe_ I just want to be able to live my life with Stevonnie without _someone_ trying to get them to join some crazy resistance movement…”

“It’s not _crazy_ , Lazuli, it’s the only way-”

“ _You’re gonna get the one person I love **killed!**_ ”

There was a long silence, the last cry echoing in the darkness.

Her energy fading, Lapis sat down in the sand, clutching her temples. Slowly, Amethyst sat down too.

“Whoa,” she muttered, “That got pretty heated.”

“Yeah,” sighed Lapis.

Amethyst bit her lip.

“So, uh… love, huh?”

“I… I don't know what this feeling is,” said Lapis at last, “If it's like you and Peridot or if it's just friends or something else, but… but I don't want to live without them, and I just… I can't bear to think of them being killed, and I know that's selfish, but I…”

Amethyst sighed.

“Lapis, that's not selfish at all,” she replied.

Lapis lay back, staring at the stars.

“They're gonna fight, aren't they?” she said wearily, “I can't stop them.”

“Probably,” nodded Amethyst.

Lapis closed her eyes and took another deep, deliberate breath.

“Guess there's only one thing I can do.”

* * *

Wearily, Stevonnie paced the barn. The early morning sun was slowly peeking through the door, filling the barn with its faint light green It had been two nights, and there was still no sign of Lapis or Amethyst. Peridot was sitting on the hammock, reading an old magazine - her legs dangled over the side. In the distance, they could see Lenny, C and Z leaving the _Crystal Avenger_ to get back to work on the warp pad.

“Where are they?” Stevonnie muttered to themself, restlessly scanning the horizons for a spot of purple or blue.

“Eh, Amethyst will be back,” replied Peridot, “Give it another couple of days.”

“Does this happen a lot with you guys?” asked Stevonnie, turning to the green gem.

“Well, usually I come along,” shrugged Peridot, “But sometimes Blue Zircon gets lonely and someone has to stay with her to make sure she doesn’t panic and take the ship back to New Earth, and…”

A wooden board creaked, and Stevonnie turned around.

Lapis stood in the doorway, arm behind her back. She smiled nervously.

“I… um… I just wanna say…”

Stevonnie lunged forward, pulling their barnmate into a tight hug.

“Lapis, I’m sorry!” they exclaimed, “I didn’t mean to-”

“ _You’re_ sorry? _I’m sorry!_ ” replied Lapis, “I just left on you, and…”

“Yeah, because I wouldn’t accept…”

“I wouldn’t accept _your_ point of…”

“You can _both_ be sorry, you clods!” Peridot shouted.

Stevonnie stepped back, letting go of Lapis.

“I, uh, if you want me to-” they began.

“No,” replied Lapis, “I… I know I can’t stop you from fighting, and I’ve been thinking, and…”

She took a deep breath.

“I wanna fight with you,” she said, “Just… I don’t want you to do it alone. Is that okay?”

Stevonnie grinned, their eyes watering.

“Lapis,” they replied, “There’s nothing I’d like more.”

As they pulled each other into another hug, Amethyst climbed into the barn and casually strolled up to Peridot.

“Why do other people’s relationships have to be so complicated?” she asked.

“I guess other people lack our perfect emotional and physical compatibility,” shrugged Peridot.

Amethyst tagged on a sly grin, putting an arm over her shoulder.

“I love it when you talk dirty, ‘Dot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I imagine this might be a tad controversial. :/


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. **READTH HER STUFF.**

**Chapter Seventeen**

“ _Crystal Avenger, this is the Lawrence, still no sign of the convoy, over._ ”

Amethyst sighed and lazily pressed a button on her console.

“Got it, Franks - just tell me when something happens, alright?”

“ _Crystal Avenger, that is not formal communication procedure, over.”_

“Shove off, _over_.”

The Human Resistance’s vaunted raid had been pushed back time and time again, almost to the point where it had become a running joke on New Earth - but now, six long months after the warp pad had been installed on the island, they were finally doing it. Unfortunately for the crew of the _Crystal Avenger_ , ‘it’ was proving to be unfathomably boring.

Stevonnie watched as the human ships - a hand ship and three ‘roaming eyes’, all painted in dull battleship grey - zipped towards the boxy Homeworld cargo ships. It would have been exciting - except that the cargo ships were unarmed and unmanned, and carried nothing more valuable than deposits of iron ore mined on a distant asteroid. As Amethyst had grumpily put it, all the Resistance needed them to do was _babysit_.

Peridot leaned against Amethyst’s chair, providing a running commentary of everything their erstwhile allies were doing wrong - ‘they’re sailing in a line, don’t they realise space isn’t the ocean?’ - ‘they’ve put their weakest ships in front. Why would you ever do that?’ - ‘That hand ship pilot has _no idea_ what they’re doing. You can’t just _wiggle the fingers…_ ’

“‘Vonnie, you’re spacin’ out on me.”

Stevonnie jumped, shaking themself out of their bored stupor.

“Sorry,” they replied, “I just…”

“...thought it’d be more exciting?” replied Amethyst, “Yeah, me too. I mean, they don’t even have _escorts!_ I wanted to shoot something up!”

“It is a little odd,” mused Peridot, “Normally convoys get escorted by at least one frigate…”

Amethyst shrugged.

“Why don’t you go see what Lapis is up to?” she asked, “We’ll call you if anything changes. Like, I dunno, paint dries or something.”

“Sure,” nodded Stevonnie, “Where is she, anyway?”

“Port observation deck,” replied Peridot, “Just follow the signs.”

Stevonnie gave her a thumbs up and walked away.

Peridot pursed her lips, looking back out at the ‘battle.’ She cringed as two of the human roaming eyes bumped into each other.

“Amateurs,” she muttered.

“They gotta start somewhere,” Amethyst shrugged.

Peridot narrowed her eyes and scratched her chin.

“I don’t like this,” she said, “There _has_ to be a reason there’s no escorts.”

“You reckon it’s an ambush?” asked Amethyst.

“Yes,” nodded Peridot, “If it were me, I’d have a fast ship near warp distance, ready to jump out as soon as my enemy’s guard was down.”

She crossed her arms.

“Expect trouble,” she muttered.

“I’m your girlfriend, Peri,” said Amethyst, grinning, “I always do.”

Peridot rolled her eyes, but shot her girlfriend a wry smile.

* * *

Stevonnie entered the port observation deck.

Lapis and Blue Zircon were huddled over a small table next to the enormous window that gave the room it’s name. Both had a small sheet of paper in front of them, and were sharing a small pile of - were those crayons? Lapis must have taken them from the barn.

“Ugh, I think I messed up a line,” Blue Zircon grunted.

“It’s okay,” replied Lapis, “Just pretend you meant to do it.”

“Is that a thing morpers do?”

“ _All the time._ ”

“Hey guys!” said Stevonnie, sitting down next to them, “You drawing?”

“Drawing? I thought we were morping?” said Blue Zircon.

“Yeah, drawing is a type of morping,” replied Lapis, “Humans call it art, but that’s just dumb.”

“No it’s not!” said Stevonnie.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” shrugged Lapis, “Anything happening outside?”

“Nope,” replied Stevonnie, “It’s pretty quiet out there.”

“That’s a relief.” Zircon clutched her temples for a moment. “Last time we went out on a raid like this, we nearly got blown out of the sky by a…”

“So, what’re you guys drawing?” Stevonnie interrupted lightly, not wanting Zircon to continue on an anxiety-driven spiral.

“Well, um, I-I just thought, y’know, ‘cause I was feeling a little nostalgic…”

She held up her drawing, cheeks coloring a furious navy blue.

“Is that… the other Zircon!” exclaimed Stevonnie, “Yellow Zircon! ...or was she green? I couldn’t tell, it was dark…”

“Yellow, yes,” nodded Zircon, “I haven’t seen her in years, and… well, I guess…”

“You miss her,” said Lapis.

“She was a _pain in the gem_ ,” grunted Zircon, but her expression was fond. “But she grew on you.”

“How about you, Lapis?”

“I just drew what I knew,” replied Lapis, shrugging.

She held up her own picture - a somewhat scrawled but nonetheless charming image of herself and Stevonnie, standing on the beach.

“Aww, that’s so nice, Lapis!” exclaimed Stevonnie, hands on their cheeks.

“Uh, you know, it’s just… I needed something to draw,” said Lapis, blushing slightly, “It doesn’t… I mean, I don’t…”

“...hold on, I’m gonna draw you,” said Stevonnie, grabbing some crayons and their own scrap of paper, “Any of you guys got another blue one?”

They settled back into drawing, turning away from the window into the stars. Had they kept looking, they would have seen the faint _distortion_ in space-time, just beyond the battling ships. Most would have paid it little heed, but to experienced extrastellar sailors, it was the telltale sign that something _big_ was about to arrive…

* * *

“Picking up something on the scanners,” said Peridot, looking over one of the consoles on the bridge, “I think this would be their ambush.”

“Gotcha,” nodded Amethyst.

She pressed a button on her chair.

“Franks, cavalry’s coming, we’ve gotta go.”

“ _Negative, Captain Amethyst. The_ Maine _just boarded a cargo ship and we’re bringing it under our control._ ”

Amethyst looked out towards them. One of the roaming eyes had indeed attached itself to a cargo ship, like a massive grey pimple on the already ungainly crate of a ship.

“Yeah, that… that thing’s not gonna make a good battleship, dude,” said Amethyst, “Look, just blow it up and let’s go, okay? I’m not wrestling a frigate just so you can get a cruddy little freighter.”

“ _You are our_ escort _and you will remain…_ ”

“Amethyst.”

Amethyst turned. Peridot was looking at the scanner, her eyes wide.

“Uh… how big are we talking, Peridot?” asked Amethyst, “Destroyer?”

Peridot didn’t reply, her hands shaking.

“ _Battleship?_ ”

Peridot looked up, and Amethyst could see the palpable fear in her eyes.

“ _Bigger._ ”

Two seconds later, the Homeworld ship emerged from the warp. It swirled into existence like a cosmic whirlpool, the enormous, outstretched fingers slamming into both the cargo ship and the unfortunate roaming eye - both disintegrated in fiery explosions, leaving nothing but wreckage as the enormous capital ship thundered onwards. Amethyst stared in shock at the titanic hand - it was not the size that chilled her, or it’s power, but it’s stark, vibrant paint job.

“ _Crystal Avenger, this is the Lawrence, what the hell is that?!_ ”

Amethyst didn’t reply - at least, not to him, not directly. She whispered hollowly to herself.

“Oh _shit._ ”

* * *

Stevonnie, Lapis and Zircon stared out the window at the mammoth that now shadowed the ship. Lapis felt her hands shake as a deep, crippling fear filled her very being.

“It… it can’t be…” stammered Zircon.

“It is,” replied Stevonnie - their tone was low, a miasma of deep fear and seething, righteous fury. “It’s _her._ ”

Fingers outstretched and weapons charging, Blue Diamond’s ship hovered over the _Crystal Avenger_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh geez help where did this cliff come from i appear to be hanging from it


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Once again, you really should be reading her stuff, so go do that.

**Chapter Eighteen**

“ _This is Captain Franks! All ships disengage, I repeat, all ships disengage!_ ”

Stevonnie raced onto the bridge, Lapis and Zircon right on their heels. Amethyst was hunched over the console in front of her chair, pressing buttons in rapid succession. Next to her, Peridot was similarly engaged in hectic button-pressing, whispering curses under her breath - if she were to guess, Lapis would assume that Amethyst had taught her all of those words.

“Peridot, why aren’t we warping?” Amethyst asked tensely.

“I’m working on it!” replied Peridot, “This is complex equipment! If I get it wrong, we’ll end up spliced with three planets and a asteroid belt! I can’t...”

“ _Incoming!_ ”

There was a massive bang, and the ship rocked violently. Lapis was flung to the floor, the lights flicked off and were replaced by a flashing red emergency light and a loud accompanying siren.

Peridot gritted her teeth.

“She just knocked out the warp drive,” she said gravely.

Amethyst climbed back into her chair and opened up the comm link.

“Franks, we’re dead in the water!” she said, “You mind covering us while Peri gets the warp drive working again?”

“ _Against_ that _thing? Captain Amethyst, my duty is to my men, and I am_ not… _”_

“We’d do the same for you, Franks!” shouted Amethyst.

Stevonnie stepped up, leaning in next to Amethyst’s microphone.

“Captain, I know this looks bad, but we need to stand together,” they said, “If we unite, we stand a chance of holding of Blue…”

“ _Listen, I’m… I’m sorry but --  you’re on your own. Franks out._ ”

Stevonnie winced as the Human Resistance’s remaining ships warped away, leaving them alone against the approaching Diamond arm ship. Amethyst slammed her fist on the console, shaking with rage.

“Franks, you absolute piece of _FU-_ ”

“We’re being hailed!” called Peridot, “It’s… it’s coming from Blue Diamond’s ship!”

There was a long silence.

“Put it through,” said Stevonnie.

“Are you nuts?” exclaimed Zircon, “That’s _Blue…_ ”

“If she’s talking to us, it means she’s not trying to kill us,” replied Stevonnie, “Amethyst, Peridot, try and think of a plan. I’ll keep her occupied.”

Amethyst swallowed and put the transmission through. When the image materialized, Lapis gasped, her mouth falling open as she gawked at the holographic projection that appeared before her.

To use a single world, Blue Diamond appeared _horrible_. Her hair was unkempt, her colours dull, and her eyes far more sunken than usual. Her face was twisted into a bitter scowl, and her fists were clenched. Her Pearl, who could be seem just next to her, looked visibly cowed - more so than any Pearl Lapis had ever seen before.

“ _You_.”

The word was spat as though it was the greatest curse imaginable, and Lapis felt a physical sense of whiplash from hearing it.

Stevonnie swallowed and stepped up.

“Blue, I’ve told you,” they said, “I’m _not_ Rose Quartz. I’m Stevonnie. I’m _me_ , and…”

“ _You will_ not _give me that excuse, Rose Quartz_ ,” spat Blue Diamond, “ _Is it not enough that you took her from us? You have to mock me with that… that_ hideous _form?! You…_ ”

“It’s not hideous,” muttered Lapis.

Blue Diamond trailed off, staring straight at Lapis.

“ _What did you say?_ ” she demanded.

“I… uh… um… I…”

“ _And what are_ you _doing here?!_ ” Blue Diamond continued, “ _You are one of_ my _Lapis Lazulis. You are a gem of_ privilege _. Why have you attached yourself to this… this… this_ abomination?!”

“Leave her alone!” shouted Stevonnie, “This is between you and me!”

Blue Diamond jerked forward - her Pearl visibly winced. It was as if she were about to reach out from the screen and throttle Stevonnie with her bare hands.

“ _You are_ all _guilty_ ,” she growled, each cadence seething with practiced disdain. “ _And I will not rest until each and every one of you pathetic, traitorous Crystal Gems have been ground into_ dust _at my feet. You deserve_ far worse.”

“Killing us won't bring you peace,” said Stevonnie, “Just…”

“ _I don't_ want _peace!_ ” bellowed Blue Diamond, “ _I want **revenge!**_ ”

A wave of blue swept over the bridge, and with it came a sudden, pounding sense of _agony_ , a pain that ran much deeper than skin or bone. This was poisoned-tipped blades pressed up against the cracks and crevices between the heart; it was a jagged and unapologetic gas that suffocated, suppressed all hope, surrendered reason to emotion. . Lapis was hardly aware of the  the slight itching sensation that pricked the corner of her eye, more alarmed and concerned for Stevonnie, Amethyst, Peridot and Zircon as they all  doubled over, unrelenting tears flowing from their eyes. Then the blue faded, and the other gems managed to get ahold of themselves.

“That _pain,_ ” snarled Blue Diamond, “ _Is only a_ taste _of what I've felt for thousands of years. I'd say I hope your demise is quick… but I'd be lying._ ”

Her projection disappeared. A weird frozen sort of disbelief silenced the bridge but for the occasional flash of a button or light. It took almost a solid thirty seconds for the icy tension to begin to thaw.

“Please tell me we have a plan,” said Stevonnie nervously.

“I have the start of one,” replied Peridot, “Amethyst, turn the ship around and engage full speed!”

“What, we’re gonna run away?” demanded Amethyst, frantically tapping on the console, “ _That's_ your plan?”

The ship rocked as a beam of brilliant blue light shot past, just barely missing the hull.

“We’ll head towards the gravity well of the next star,” replied Peridot, “We might be able to lose her in the gravitational pull…”

“...you mean we're gonna fly into a _sun?_ ” exclaimed Zircon.

“Almost,” replied Peridot, “We’ll pull up at the last minute. Blue Diamond’s ship has a larger mass than ours, and the power-to-weight ratio is less optimal, meaning it has a higher ceiling before it’s trapped in the pull of the…”

She trailed off, realising that her friends were staring blankly at her.

“Small ship can get closer to sun than big ship,” she sighed, rolling her eyes, “So we lose her there. Is that simple enough for you?”

“Worth a shot,” nodded Amethyst, “But, uh, how do we stop it shooting at us?”

“Blue Diamond’s main weapons are powered by an energy reactor on the centre of the knuckle,” replied Peridot, “If we could somehow shut that down…”

“Do we have some kind of escape pod?” asked Stevonnie, “Maybe I can…”

“Wait, you can't just go over there!” exclaimed Lapis, “B… Blue Diamond is there! You can't take on a Diamond by yourself!”

The ship rocked again as another beam just barely missed them.

“Lazuli, normally I'd be on your side here, but we don't have a lot of options,” said Peridot, “If Stevonnie can shut it down manually, we might have a shot.”

Lapis glanced from Stevonnie to Peridot and back again.

“Fine,” she said with a frustrated sigh, “Where's the pod, Peridot?”

“Lapis?” asked Stevonnie.

“I'm coming with you,” replied Lapis, “I… you can't do this alone, but I can't stop you, so I'm going too.”

She ran a hand through her hair as Stevonnie grinned at her.

“Now can we find this pod before I can process how insane this is?” she asked.

* * *

 

“ _Alright, I’ve taken remote control of the pod, and I think I can get you into the ship through one of the maintenance vents. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING._ ”

The pod shuddered as it was ejected from the ship, sailing towards the enormous blue hand ship. Inside, Lapis sat across from Stevonnie, the cramped, closed-in nature of the small craft somewhat amplified by the sword next to them. Even with her legs fully back, her knees still brushed her friend’s. There was a small window, invisible from the outside, through which they could just about see their target closing in.

“ _ETA two minutes._ ”

“So,” said Stevonnie, “Kinda cramped in here, huh?”

“I think this was designed for Rubies,” replied Lapis, “Or maybe Aquamarines.”

The pod rocked as another ray of laser fire burst from Blue Diamond’s ship - although it came nowhere near them, the shockwave still buffeted their little craft. Lapis noticed Stevonnie’s breath had quickened, and they closed their eyes.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Little scared, if I’m being honest,” replied Stevonnie, “You?”

Lapis pursed her lips.

“ _Terrified._ ”

Stevonnie chuckled nervously.

“It’s gonna be okay,” they replied, “Just… here, do what I do…”

They closed their eyes and (somewhat awkwardly) crossed their legs, cupping their hands in front of them. Carefully, Lapis mirrored the pose and closed her own eyes. Quietly, Stevonnie hummed to themself, and Lapis somewhat shakily joined in, remembering the lyrics in her head.

_Here comes a thought… that might alarm me…_

The pod rocked again.

“ _The clods just knocked out the main weapons systems! I don’t want to alarm you, but either you knock that main weapon out, or we’re all doomed. Just… just being straightforward here._ ”

Lapis tuned out Peridot, focusing on her immediate surroundings - the pod, the quiet sound of music, the ugly tinge of fear running through her being like a raging river, and the calming presence sitting across from her.

She narrowed her perception as much as she could. For now, Blue Diamond and her ship didn’t exist, nor did Peridot and her rather unhelpful messages on the comm system. Nothing outside the pod existed. The totality of existence was herself and Stevonnie and the small cocoon of tranquility they had made around themselves.

_I’m here…_

The pod crashed through a ventilation port on the ship’s index finger and rocketed on into darkness. It shook violently once more, and there was a loud clang as it hit something.

_I’m here…_

Then, just as suddenly as the darkness set in, there came light - tinted a brilliant blue. Lapis looked up into Stevonnie’s eyes. They opened their eyes and sent her a reassuring smile.

_I’m here._

The pod crashed into a hard metal floor, and Lapis was thrown off her seat, tumbling around as if in a giant hamster ball. She spun round and round, and even when the pod stopped, her world still span. Groaning heavily, she climbed to her feet.

“Nice landing, Peridot,” she grunted.

“ _I know, you’re welcome_ ,” Peridot replied smugly.

With a hiss, the pod door opened - it was now above them. Carefully, the two occupants climbed out and took in their surroundings.

They were in an enormous blue chamber, like a massive cave, water running through pipes and down elegant, ornate waterfalls. A second set of pipes, coursing with white-blue energy, swept along the distant walls towards what looked like a giant, beating heart - it reminded Lapis of the one in the Temple ago, but on a much, _much_ grander scale. Every smooth surface was covered in murals of Blue Diamond, grand in scale and complicated in design. Ultimately, it was a strange fusion of cathedral, cave and battleship, perfectly befitting of one so megalomaniacal as a Diamond.

Stevonnie stared at the giant heart, then glanced to Lapis.

“Well, it’s an interesting design,” they shrugged, “Little form-over-function, though…”

* * *

Blue Diamond sat on a throne on the bridge of her ship, hunched over, head in her hands. She was surrounded by fabulous splendour - great blue fountains; statues of both herself, her fellow Diamonds and other high-caste gems; ornate murals; finely crafted models of her planets, ships and monuments; and to top it all off, the great throne, a marvel of engineering that had taken a whole team of Bismuths to design to her exact specifications, perfectly measured to provide the maximum comfort and grandeur.

And yet, when she looked up, all she could focus on was the small, pink statue she’d ordered placed directly in front of the throne, standing on a small, lonely fountain - Pink Diamond, beaming radiantly, looking up at her with admiration in her glassy pink eyes.

(She’d had the sculptor poofed and bubbled, so that she could never create another statue like it.)

She had thought destroying the Earth would bring her peace. Instead, she found it haunted her. It had been Pink’s favourite planet, her pride and joy; she remembered how glowingly she’d spoken of the humans, and the plants and animals and brilliant blue sky. Now that it was gone, Blue Diamond couldn’t help but feel a sense of judgement in that statue’s eyes, and hear her soft voice in the sterile air.

“ _Why, Blue? Why would you destroy my colony?_ ”

It was an endless torture that gnawed at her mind, and yet the world around was so oblivious to her suffering! Yellow and White were simply satisfied to have their geo-weapon - they were content to bury Pink in the back of their minds and move on. How could they? How could they forget, when she was haunted by her image every single day? Even Pearl, her dutiful, loyal Pearl, lapsed in sympathy sometimes (for which she would be punished, of course.)

She could never heal; she’d long since realised that. She lived the most wretched of existences, constantly broken, dragged over the proverbial coals by her memories. She was cursed.

But if she couldn’t heal, she could make others feel her agony. She could take Rose Quartz and drown her, slowly and painfully, in her great ocean of pain. She could make it last thousands - no, _tens of thousands_ of years, erase everything from her being except that feeling of misery and torture.

It still wouldn’t be enough.

She looked up as she heard the siren. _Boarders_ , she thought - if nothing else, Rose Quartz was bold. She might have respected her, in the same way she might have respected a blood-sucking leech on a death world.

“Pearl.”

She looked down. Pearl was standing by her throne, dutiful as ever - she winced ever so slightly as her Diamond’s gaze fell upon her.

“Ensure the guard capture Rose Quartz alive,” she ordered, “I care not for the Lapis Lazuli. If they falter, you come immediately to me so that I may come and finish them off.”

“Y-yes, my Diamond.”

Pearl bowed and hurried off, leaving Blue Diamond alone. Once more, she buried her head in her hands. She held back her tears - there were enough to drown galaxies.

She wondered if she could ever hurt Rose Quartz as much as Rose Quartz had hurt her.

She vowed that she would find out.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. If you like Voltron, check out some of her Voltron stuff, which is excellent!
> 
> Additional thanks to [Montydragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Montydragon/pseuds/Montydragon) who helped with the action in this chapter.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Lapis climbed out of the pod, glaring towards the giant heart. Behind her, Stevonnie spoke through the comms system to Peridot, their tone urgent. Both of them knew that they couldn’t have long before company arrived.

It was cold in the chamber, although not quite _freezing_ \- probably to allow the ornamental water to continue to flow. There was a strange sparkle that made everything look like it was covered in a faint gloss, save the hard floor - perhaps a blue marble? - under her feet. As such, everything glittered and danced in the catches of light, little rainbows of color reflecting in the surfaces of the pools, refractions of light splayed on the walls, creating a series of tiny kaleidoscopes from floor to vaulted ceiling of color that were both beautiful and dizzying.

There was no time to think linger on the beauty of it all, of course - they had a job to do.

“Stevonnie to Peridot, come in Peridot?”

“ _We_ agreed _that I would be Epic-1 and that you’d be Clod-1._ ”

They paused. “We never agreed to that.”

“ _Ugh! Whatever! Do you see a giant heart?_ ”

“Yeah,” Stevonnie nodded, “It’s hard to miss.”

“ _You’ll need to destroy it - that’ll stop it from regulating the energy flow to the weapons, which will make them overload._ ”

“And they’ll stop firing,” said Stevonnie.

“ _Yes. Because the fingers will blow up. You’re… you’re gonna want to get out_ very _quickly._ ”

“Got it. Be right back.”

Stevonnie jumped out of the pod and walked over to Lapis. They gazed towards the heart, mentally judging the distance in their head.

“I’d say that’s… two hundred metres,” they said, “We’d better get going.”

Lapis nodded, her wings extending from her gem.

Before they could move, five spinning projectiles suddenly appeared from a vent in the distant ceiling. They crashed onto the path in front of the pair, a massive plume of smoke marking their arrival. As it cleared, they saw five towering Amethysts, each clad in the uniform of a Blue Diamond gem, and each carrying a long staff with what resembled an axe head and a spear on top.

“Halberds,” Stevonnie whispered, but they were interrupted before they could say more.

“Well, looky here,” sneered one of the Amethysts, whose hair was cropped short, “We got ourselves a couple of rebels! I thought we’d killed you all.”

“What can I say,” replied Stevonnie, smirking in a way that was somehow both cocky and nervous, “We’re persistent.”

“More like you don’t know when to _stop_ ,” the Amethyst growled, “Alright, squad - grab ‘em!”

The Amethysts advanced, halberds pointed to the front. Stevonnie drew their sword and glanced over to Lapis.

“You take the heart!” they said, and Lapis wondered if she detected a faint hint of apprehension in their voice, “I’ll handle the Amethysts!”

“Are you sure?” asked Lapis, backing away from the approaching group. “They…”

“I’ll be fine!” shouted Stevonnie, “Go!”

Lapis swallowed and nodded, shooting upwards. She suddenly felt a jerk against her foot - looking down, she saw a pale Amethyst with a gem in the place of her left eye clinging to her ankle.

“Not so fast, _sweetie_ ,” she leered, “What’s say you and me go talk about your little rebellion?”

Lapis narrowed her eyes, dangerous slits replacing her usual mild skepticism.

“Don’t,” she snapped, “Call me _sweetie!_ ”

She reached out an arm, and with a mighty crash, one of the ornamental pipes broke open, water bursting out like a giant snake. The front of the impromptu waterfall turned into a giant fist, liquescent knuckles slamming into the Amethyst with the force of a freight train - she lost her grip on Lapis and tumbled to the ground, poofing on impact with the hard surface.

Lapis didn’t pass her a second glance - she had a heart to break.

* * *

Blue Pearl heard the sounds of battle long before she entered the chamber.

It was already going badly when she entered. An Amethyst landed next to her as she came through the door, slamming into the wall and poofing, and more were descending from the roof - she could see Rose Quartz battling the ones on the ground, her famed sword skills making short work of any who came near. Overhead, she could see the Lapis Lazuli approaching the Weapon Safety Valve - a hardened piece of equipment, certainly, but one that couldn’t withstand the powers of a Lapis Lazuli forever.

She heard her Diamond’s instructions in her head - “ _If they falter, you come immediately to me so that I may come and finish them off._ ”

As she watched Rose Quartz flip an Amethyst and swiftly poof her with a rapid jab to the torso, she realised this probably counted as ‘faltering.’ She must return to the bridge immediately.

...and yet, something stopped her from turning around.

 _She walked into her Diamond’s chamber, a small smile on her face. It wasn’t much, and it certainly wasn’t for any specific reason - she’d been listening to Yellow talking about working for her Diamond, and something about her attitude was…_ amusing. _Maybe she was just in a good mood._

_It faded instantly when her Diamond stared down at her._

_“Pearl,” she said harshly, “You’re_ smiling. _”_

_“I… yes, my Diamond.”_

_“I am mourning my beloved Pink,” Blue continued, “And you are_ smiling. _”_

_Blue Pearl felt a tinge of fear._

_“I… please forgive me, my Diamond, I…”_

_Blue Diamond knelt down, her face towering over Blue Pearl and casting a dark shadow. The malice in her eyes chilled Pearl to the core._

_“You are to maintain your discipline in my presence at all times,” she snarled, “Do you not understand this?”_

_“My Diamond, I…”_

_Blue Diamond pursed her lips._

_“Well,” she declared, “You will be_ made _to.”_

Blue Pearl shook her head, bringing herself back to the present. No, she told herself, she had deserved that. She had failed her Diamond - her pain was richly warranted, desirable even. She was a Pearl who had acted out of turn, surely, she deserved far worse than she got.

So why wouldn’t her feet move?

* * *

Stevonnie ducked under a halberd, flipping backwards and raising their sword up into the Amethyst’s face. It sliced right through, instantly causing her form to dissipate into smoke. Before her gem had even reached the ground, another Amethyst had charged forward, this one with fists raised - she wasn’t bothering with her weapon, preferring to rely on her own brute force.

Such a tactic proved fruitful, too, as it was unexpected; she caught Stevonnie before they could raise their sword, striking them hard across the face and knocking them onto their back. She raised her foot to finish the job, but Stevonnie managed to stop it on its way down with their shield. They pushed back, hard, knocking the Amethyst off her feet before jumping back up. They had hopped up  just in time to block a halberd aimed at their head - a second later, and it would have gone right into their temple.

“Okay,” they muttered, “Little _too_ close.”

They swung back with their sword, hoping beyond hope that Lapis was nearly done.

 

Lapis was not nearly done.

She had arrived at the heart and quickly attacked it with a giant, watery fist - the attack had struck with enormous force but hadn’t even scratched the beating machine. Further attacks did nothing - it just wasn’t budging.

Lapis glanced behind her. The Amethysts had Stevonnie surrounded, and while they were more than a match for any one of the gems, they couldn’t last forever. A panicked voice chanted in the back of her head - _they’re gonna die they’re gonna die_ \- but she forced herself to ignore it. They’d get through this. They _had_ to.

She turned back to the heart, stopping only briefly to observe a lithe gem frozen in place at a distant doorway - a Pearl, maybe? She couldn’t help but feel that she looked somewhat familiar - but there was no time to dwell on that.

So back to the heart. It was pretty strong, she thought, but it had to have a breaking point.

...and there was a _lot_ of water in this cavern.

Lapis nodded. This would be dangerous, she thought, but it was the only option she had.

“Stevonnie!” she cried, “Hold your breath!”

She hoped they’d heard it and extended her arms, focusing on every drop of ornamental water in the chamber. Every pipe rocked, every waterfall rippled, as she brought the combined mass of water to bare. A truly titanic ball of water began to form over her head, gallons upon gallons of clear liquid swirling and spinning in place. In tandem, an intoxicating sense of power flushed through her body, engulfing her with the will of the seas, the destructive potential of a raging storm. From that sensation, she forced the feeling forward, gathering it in the tips of her fingers, the frayed edges of her awareness; focus was necessary. She needed to be precise.

It could stand up to a fist, she thought - but let’s see it stop a _hammer_.

* * *

“ _Hold your breath!_ ”

Stevonnie glanced back towards Lapis, eyebrow raised - what on Earth did she mean?

They soon found out, gazing up at the giant ball building up over their blue friend. They swallowed - this would definitely work, but it would also get quite dangerous, and very wet. They thanked the stars they could swim.

They stabbed the Amethyst they had been fighting, poofing her, before doubling back towards the pod. The lead Amethyst cried out - “She’s retreating! Get her!” - and the squad of quartzes chased after them. They jumped back into the pod, grabbed both sides of the doorway and closed their eyes.

There was a deafening crash.

Stevonnie opened their eyes and instantly regretted it. A wave of water slammed into their face. It was salt water, and their eyes _burned_ \- they lost hold of their breath and tried to cry out, only sucking water into lungs. Everything hurt - they felt themself pulled with the current, clinging to the pod for dear life, unsure if they should attribute their swell of panic to the feeling of drowning, water pressing in on their lungs from the _inside,_ if or the disorienting feeling of weightlessness, soundlessness, sensation suddenly robbed from them was to blame.

Then, as soon as it had come, it was gone. Stevonnie opened their eyes, blinking rapidly in an attempt to dull the pain.

It was like being inside an aquarium that had gone horribly wrong, or perhaps a washing machine. Water swirled around the pod, and yet they were shielded from the waves - all moisture had lifted from them, and their skin wasn’t even wet. In front of the wall of water was Lapis, arms outstretched and wings out, keeping the waves back with her awesome power. She looked down on them and smiled nervously.

Something in Stevonnie’s mind compared her to an angel.

“Uh, sorry about that,” said Lapis sheepishly.

“Hey, it happens,” replied Stevonnie, trying to shrug it off, “Did it work?”

As if to answer the question, a chunk of the heart fell from the water, slamming down next to them.

“Yeah,” nodded Stevonnie, “I guess it worked.”

“ _Epic-1 to Clod-1, come in Clod-1!_ ”

Stevonnie jumped into the pod and spoke back into the radio.

“Heart’s broken, Peridot,” they said.

“ _Yes, very funny,_ ” said Peridot flatly, “ _Get back into the pod, I’ll fly you back. Come on, before the weapons overload…_ ”

“Stevonnie!”

Stevonnie ducked back out of the pod. Lapis was pointing to a limp form, floating above them in the gradually calming ball of water. It was a soft blue, nose pointing out from under her bangs. Stevonnie’s eyes widened.

“Blue Pearl?” they exclaimed.

“ _Blue what? Ugh,_ come on _, you clods! We don’t have time for this…_ ”

Lapis and Stevonnie glanced at one another.

“Do we…” Lapis began, trailing off.

“Can we not?” shrugged Stevonnie.

Lapis nodded, extending a hand. The pearl floated out of the rushing waters, encased in a small bubble. Carefully, she popped it above the pod and she gently dropped into Stevonnie’s arms. Not wasting another second, Lapis flew into the pod, closing the door behind her.

“We’re in!” shouted Stevonnie, “Get going!”

The pod rocked as it lifted off the ground, bound for the vent once more.

* * *

“My Diamond,” said the Emerald, bowing deeply, “We’re pursuing the Crystal Gem ship towards the sun, but if they get too close we will be forced to break off the pursuit.”

“And why?” demanded Blue Diamond, standing up from her throne, “Haven’t they already been destroyed?”

Emerald turned to the Peridot standing next to her, who nervously saluted.

“M-my Diamond,” she stammered, “Th-the ship is highly maneuverable, and we haven’t been able to get a c-clear shot. I-I assure you, we’re doing the best we c-”

Blue Diamond slammed her foot down on the Peridot, and the Emerald winced as she heard the sickening crunch of her gem splintering underneath. The Diamond pulled her foot back up, and the Emerald nervously regarded the scattered green shards on the glistening floor.

“Destroy them,” she snarled, “Or _you_ will be next.”

The Emerald’s throat tightened, but she nodded.

“Y-Yes, My Diamond,” she replied, bowing before racing back out to her position.

Blue Diamond sat down again, her face set in a scowl. Where was Pearl, anyway? She should have been back by now, making herself useful in cleaning up the remains of that incompetent gunnery officer. If the Amethysts were having trouble, she should have reported it by now.

Growling, she stood up again. She’d just have to go check for herself. And unless her Pearl had a _very_ good reason to be lazing about, she intended to punish her severely.

* * *

The pod bounced out of the vent, and Stevonnie instantly felt an intense heat. The window darkened to protect their eyes from the glare of the sun, which was far, _far_ too close for their comfort. They could see the rays of the burning orb dancing in the void, a beautiful display of deadly fire and radiation. They could just about see the Diamond ship disappearing behind them - they hoped their plan would work.

“ _C’mon, c’mon, just a little further,_ ” they heard Amethyst mutter through the comm, “ _Zircon, how’s that warp drive coming?_ ”

“ _I’m doing the best I can!_ ” came the panicked reply, “ _Do I look like an engineer?!_ ”

“ _The ship’s charging up to fire!”_ shouted Peridot, “ _Come on, you stupid laser, overload,_ overload!”

Stevonnie bit their lip, turning to Lapis.

“If we don’t make it,” they said, their voice shaking, “If I… I’m sorry I brought…”

“Hey.”

Lapis reached out and took their hand.

“We’re gonna be fine, alright?” she replied, “We’re gonna be _fine._ ”

Stevonnie closed their eyes and nodded.

“...yeah,” they said, “We will.”

* * *

High up on the gunnery deck of the Diamond ship, the Emerald gave the order to fire.

Instantly, concentrated thermal energy built up throughout the fingers of the ship, gathering within the main laser that ran along the index finger. Normally, the heart would serve to cut off incoming energy once enough had been gathered to fire the beam - but now it was gone, and the energy flowed in unimpeded.

Without that safety system, the weapon did not fire - it simply built up more and more power, and grew hotter and hotter. Outside, the fingers and knuckles could be seen glowing white-hot.

Up on the deck, the Emerald turned to one of her Peridots.

“What’s happening?” she demanded, “Why isn’t it fir-”

Before she could finish her sentence, an enormous explosion ripped through the front of the ship. The index finger disintegrated into shards of blue metal, which in turn sliced up the middle finger and thumb. In a chain reaction, the knuckles burst open one by one, tearing through  the remaining fingers; further explosions ran along the hull of the ship, knocking out system after system - the navigational systems, the fuel tanks, and most importantly, the engine, which shuddered and choked to a halt.

As the _Crystal Avenger_ zipped forward, the Diamond vessel lost all power, and was thus drawn into the gravitational force of the nearest big object - the sun.

Sirens blared throughout the ship, as an automated voice calmly repeated the same instruction over and over again - _“All gems, abandon ship. All gems, abandon ship._ ”

The Emerald slumped back into her chair, burying her head in her hands.

“You heard the voice,” she muttered defeatedly, before slowly climbing to her feet and evacuating the deck.

* * *

The pod shook violently as the shockwave passed over them. For a moment, all power shut off - there were no comms, no lights, nothing; Stevonnie feared the worst. Then they came back on again, and they found themself staring at the wreckage of Blue Diamond’s ship, slowly falling down into the beating sun. It was strangely sad - like a big, stricken animal in its death throes - but the melancholy was swiftly replaced by sudden, beautiful _relief._ They’d made it. They were going to _survive._

They looked over to Lapis, who was squeezed in next to Blue Pearl’s limp form. They sat in silence for several seconds.

“So,” Stevonnie said at last, “That was… that was some first mission, huh?”

They broke into laughter as the pod gently drifted through space and back to the _Crystal Avenger_ , its’ task accomplished.

* * *

The warp pad glowed, and Blue Diamond appeared in the grey room. Immediately she bowed, looking up at the giant figure before her, a shiver of apprehension running down her spine.

White Diamond didn’t even bother to bend over - the simple downward twitch of her eyes seemed sufficient for her. She smiled, but there was no warmth or mirth behind the expression. Instead, Blue could sense the ice behind those grand orbs.

“Your ship is destroyed,” she said bluntly, “Your Pearl is gone. And Rose Quartz is still at large.”

“I have punished the crew,” replied Blue, “And I…”

“Now now, Teardrop, it would seem to me that you’re _shifting the blame._ ”

Blue went deathly quiet. The silence lasted some time.

“Until your ship is replaced, you will not leave Homeworld,” instructed White, “And will report to me _whenever I command._ We’ll need to have a few little chats about this…”

“White, please, have mercy…”

“Ah, but Teardrop,” interrupted White, finger extended, “Naughty gems need to learn their lessons - even if they _are_ Diamonds.”

White grinned.

“That will be all.”

She clapped, and Blue beat a hasty retreat on the warp pad. When she was alone, White let out a long, deliberate sigh.

“Oh, Starlight, what are we going to do with you?” she wondered aloud, “What indeed?”

She closed her eyes.

“And what,” she added, “Do we do about that little Lapis Lazuli?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about nothing, White? How about you do nothing?


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you didn't expect the next chapter this early, eh? Sorry, I've just been on a roll lately.
> 
> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. She's done so much to help this story, so please give her some thanks by checking out her work. (She did a really good Pearlapis story a few days ago that I highly recommend!)

****

**Chapter Twenty**

Captain Roger Franks sat at a table in the Diamonds’ Lament on New Earth, bent over a jug of what was ‘fondly’ known as New Earth Coffee - a drink made from coffee beans grown under a sunlamp in Vidalia’s attic, water and milk from an animal the captain cared not to think about. It tasted horrible, but coffee was coffee, and he rather needed it right now. He was in discussion with another human resistance officer, a tall, red-haired late-middle-aged woman named Commander Lewis, about their next strategy.

He closed his eyes and made to take a sip of his coffee.

“ _You!_ ”

A fist slammed into the back of his head and he spat out his drink, just barely missing Lewis and spraying it all over a lime-green Pearl at the next table. She shot him a very dark look, but he was already turning around to face his assailant.

“You left us to die!” thundered Amethyst.

Franks blinked.

“You’re alive?” he asked, which really didn’t help his case.

“Yeah, no thanks to you!” snapped Peridot, who was standing behind Amethyst, “What happened to working together, you clod?”

“I… I had to preserve my crew!” replied Franks, “We’d already lost the _Maine_ , I had to preserve the rest of my ships! Besides, how were we supposed to know…”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to those _pebbles_ , Captain.”

Lewis stood up, crossing her arms. Her voice, tinted with a hint of a Liverpudlian accent, was filled with rancor.

“Commander, _don’t_ ,” snapped Franks, “They are our allies.”

“Are they?” replied Lewis, “I don’t believe allies normally blow up each other’s planets.”

“You wanna say that again, you piece of…” Amethyst began, lunging forward.

“ _Commander Lewis,_ ” ordered Franks, “From now on, you do not speak in this conversation without my express permission. Understood?”

Lewis didn’t reply, her lips thin.

Franks rolled his eyes. “Permission to speak.”

“Yes, _sir_ ,” spat Lewis.

She turned and walked away.

Franks shook his head.

“My duty is to my men,” he reiterated, “I will do what I can to help you, but I am _not_ taking on a _Diamond warship_ until I am one hundred percent prepared.”

“Well, we do what we have to,” sniffed Amethyst, “And sometimes that means taking down a Diamond ship on our own.”

“Yeah, sometimes we-”

Franks caught on his words, just about choking, as a gasp filled the tavern.

“ _You took it down?!_ ” spluttered Franks.

Amethyst crossed her arms, smirking.

“Gather round!” she declared, “And I’ll tell you all the tale of how Stevonnie, Lapis Lazuli and the crew of the _Crystal Avenger_ took down Blue Diamond’s personal ship - _without_ the Human Resistance’s help…”

In a dark corner of the tavern, Commander Lewis watched bitterly as humans and gems gathered around the pirate captain, eager to hear her amazing story. She furrowed her brow, lip curling in disgust, and walked away.

* * *

Blue Pearl sat on a ragged old sofa in Peedee’s apartment, which was basically a set of old gem containers roughly rebuilt into a series of small rooms. She sat very still and said nothing at all. To her left, in his own chair, sat the mayor of New Earth.

Jeff had seen better days, just as everyone had - a long scar ran over his left eye, which was faded and milky in colour, but his demeanor remained cheerful. He wore a stained dress shirt and a green tie over khakis that ran just past his knees. A silver ring sat prominently on his finger - an identical one could be found on Peedee. He was, after all, no longer Jeff Brooks - he was Mayor Jeff Fryman.

On the other side of the room, Stevonnie paced nervously from wall to wall, while Lapis leaned against the corner. This left Peedee next to the old, rickety desk, scratching his beard as he looked over the light-blue gem.

“So she hasn’t said anything since you rescued her?” asked Peedee.

“No,” replied Stevonnie, “I think she’s in shock. I… should I have _asked_ her if she wanted to come? I… maybe she wants to go back? I…”

“No.”

The voice was quiet, and accompanied with no change in expression, but Blue Pearl’s single word spoke volumes. There was an undercurrent of pain and torment that sent a shiver down Stevonnie’s spine.

“You want to stay?” they asked softly.

Slowly, Blue Pearl nodded.

“Do you want to come back to the barn with us or stay on New Earth,” asked Stevonnie, wanting to be very clear moving forward.

“I…”

Her voice was so quiet that Stevonnie had to strain to hear it.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

Peedee and Jeff glanced at each other, and Jeff nodded.

“You could stay here,” he suggested, “There’s plenty of room on New Earth. You could stay with someone if you wanted, so you’d always have someone around - I mean, heck, we’ve got room here…”

“We do?” asked Peedee.

Jeff glared at him.

“I mean yeah, we do, I guess!” said Peedee.

“I… I don’t know,” replied Blue Pearl, “I…”

Her voice broke.

“...forgive me, I don’t know… I…”

She buried her head in her hands as she broke down, her heavy sobs filling the room.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why… _I’m sorry…_ ”

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay,” soothed Stevonnie, sitting down next to her and putting an arm over her shoulder, “It’s gonna be okay.”

“It’s… I… I don’t understand!” Blue Pearl spoke the words, bitter and broken, perhaps not unlike herself. “I should be _happy_ , I…”

“Sometimes people cry when they’re happy,” said Jeff, “Maybe you _are_ happy? Or maybe… you’re afraid, because you don’t know what’s gonna happen next. Or maybe…”

“Guys.”

Peedee held up his hands.

“I think she just needs to let it all out,” he said softly.

“But I’ve already cried so often!” sobbed Blue Pearl, “Blue Diamond’s made me…”

“Yeah,” nodded Peedee, “But this…”

He put his hand on hers.

“...this is for _you_.”

* * *

The warp pad glowed brilliantly as Lapis and Stevonnie arrived back on their island. Immediately, they felt rain - the wet season was well underway, and the downpour lashed at the beach. Stevonnie’s hairs stood on end at the sudden adjustment to the cold, and they involuntarily shivered.

“Oh yeah,” they said out loud, “I forgot it’d be raining.”

They walked quickly down the beach and back up to the barn, although Lapis didn’t really mind the rain. She liked the feel of the individual droplets of water dance down and over her skin; it had a strange, calming effect to her. Still, she certainly couldn’t wait to be home.

Once they were back in the barn, the pair found themselves sitting by the door, watching the rain fall. Stevonnie had made themself a concoction of warm water and local leaves that, apparently, didn’t taste too bad (Lapis took their word for it), and sipped quietly from an old mug.

“So,” they said at last, “That was some mission, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Lapis glanced over to her friend, a worried expression on her face.

“So, do you think Blue Pearl’s gonna be okay with Peevee and John?” she asked.

“Peedee and Jeff,” corrected Stevonnie, gently, “And trust me, they’ll look after her. They’re good people - some of the best.”

They took another sip of their drink.

“Thanks, by the way.”

Lapis raised an eyebrow. “What for?”

“For being there,” replied Stevonnie, “I… I don’t we could’ve done it without you. And you kept your head so well…”

“I kept my head?” quizzed Lapis, “Stevonnie, I was _terrified!_ The only reason I didn’t break down was because _you_ were there!”

“Yeah, but… but you were…”

Stevonnie shook their head and chuckled.

“We make a great team,” they said.

“So what next?” asked Lapis.

Stevonnie shrugged.

“Depends,” they replied, “I guess Amethyst’ll let us know if anything else comes up, so… we keep doing missions. We help people on New Earth. And when we’re not doing that, we…”

“We live here,” said Lapis.

Stevonnie smiled.

“Yeah,” they said, “We live here.”

They raised their mug.

“Here’s to us, barnmate.”

Lapis gazed at the mug, wondering how to respond. Was she supposed to put her own thing to her friend’s mug? If so, what? She had to do _something_ , she couldn’t leave them hanging…

She made a thumbs up and gently bumped the mug.

“Here’s to us!”

Stevonnie laughed - it was a wonderful sound, and soon it had infected her. They sat there, by the door, almost rolling in spontaneous mirth, drowning out the sound of the rain on the roof. It was one of those brief, perfect moments that Lapis wished would never end.

Some time later, Lapis lay in her hammock, Stevonnie dozing on the mattress beside her. Her suspended bed swayed gently in the light breeze, as she listened contentedly to the monsoon outside. She stretched, sighed and stole a brief glance at her barnmate - they looked so peaceful.

_I wonder what our fusion would be like._

Lapis shook her head and rolled over, trying to force the thought from her head. She shut her eyes and mentally ordered herself to sleep. No sense making this weird, she thought - _she_ didn’t know how she felt, not really, so why would she think Stevonnie… no, it was silly. _Sleep, Lapis, sleep._

Eventually, she drifted off, and the barn fell silent, save for soft snoring.

That night, Stevonnie found themself dreaming about fusion.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say here but here's a chapter. XP
> 
> Thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Read her stuff! Do it! Do it now!

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Perhaps understandably, the Human Resistance found themselves out of favour in New Earth for some time. The inhabitants there, human and gem alike, had little time for what they regarded as a small group of amateurs playing soldier, who could apparently be trusted to melt away at the first sign of trouble. Captain Franks sulked, but all he could do was wait for the months to pass by, and for the accompanying stigma to slowly die down.

This didn’t mean nothing was happening on New Earth - the ramshackle settlement was constantly in a state of flux, always looking for more salvage with which to build new things. Three months after the convoy raid, Lenny, C and Z had managed to build a clothing fabricator from old Homeworld parts - an enormous boon for the colony, as it at least meant they no longer had to rely on the already meager supply of ragged clothes left from Earth.

(A food synthesizer, at the top of most of the humans’ wish-list, was apparently much harder to construct, but C claimed they’d work it out eventually.)

Stevonnie had mixed feelings about the constantly shifting landscape. On one hand, it was heartening to see how much things improved on New Earth in such a short amount of time - the settlement expanded, buildings became more sophisticated, and there was even quiet whispers of finding a permanent planet to settle, in the long term. Yet there was a bittersweet taste to it all; a sense that the old Earth was beginning to fade into the past.

The gems on New Earth had never known it’s namesake, of course, but those who spoke of the old planet with nostalgia were getting older. Vidalia still ran around with the energy of someone half her age, but her hair was definitely turning grey, and there seemed to be a new wrinkle every time they saw her. She shrugged it off - “I’m just becoming a fine vintage.” - but every now and then, she’d complain of pains that came and went. Even those who had been comparatively young at the end of the world, like Jeff and Peedee, were passing into middle-age - Peedee sometimes complained of his growing proximity to forty.

Then there were the kids. The teenagers of New Earth had vague memories of the world from which they had come - some remembered the blue sky, or old landmarks, or green hills and sandy beaches,; but it seemed they couldn’t quite comprehend life in the old world. They all had gem friends (much to the disgust of some of the more diehard Human Resistance members), and had lived the majority of their life in the stars. And finally, there were the children born on New Earth - the oldest were thirteen or fourteen now. For them, names like Empire City or London or Tokyo had about as much meaning as the myriad of Homeworld planets the local gems sometimes spoke of. They were far away, unreal, storybook places that they could only vaguely imagine.

“We’re getting kids in here,” the Curator of the Museum of Earth bitterly told them, “Who can’t name _any_ of the continents, or the Presidents, or anything like that. It just doesn’t mean anything to them.”

Where did that leave Stevonnie?

It had become increasingly obvious to them, although they didn’t know if it was Steven’s physiology or a side-effect of being fused for so long, that they didn’t seem to age like other humans. They looked about the same as they had on the day the Earth was destroyed, and it highlighted to them just how… _isolated_ they had become from the other humans. They had lived in a tiny island world for so long, and now everyone seemed to have already moved on without them. Would there be a time when humanity was unrecognisable to them? When they were as alien as the gems? Or would they grow with New Earth, and find a place within a brave new world? They didn’t know, and it scared them.

They thanked the stars for Lapis, for Amethyst and for Peridot. If nothing else, they could always count on them (unless something terrible happened, of course, but that was a standard risk.) But sometimes - actually, _many_ times - they pined for more. They pined for their old family, or at least what was left of it. Apart from Amethyst and Peridot, had any survived?

Just over a year after the convoy raid, they found out the answer.

* * *

“Yep, this is really my idea of a good time,” grunted Amethyst, “Walking around a swamp for three hours while Captain Interesting looks for cola cans in a wrecked ship.”

“I’ll have you know,” snapped the Curator, “That this is one of Blue Diamond’s transport ships, and there’s a good chance it was carrying looted Earth artifacts!”

“Right, yeah, cool,” said Amethyst, her voice making it clear that it was one of the least cool things she could think of, which was saying something considering she’d spent a large portion in the company of Pearl.

The _Crystal Avenger_ flew low over open swampland. The planet was covered in green and brown growth, resembling kelp, and muddy, putrid-looking water. Even when clear, the sky was grey and dull - it was as if it had been perfectly designed to be the most unattractive planet in the galaxy.

Although it didn’t smell. That was one thing in its favour.

Were it not for the wreck that the ship had found while scanning the local system, nobody would have ever bothered with this planet. But when it became clear that it was a transport ship that seemed to have traces of material originating from Earth aboard, the Museum of Earth became very interested. As a result, Amethyst had been press-ganged into giving Vidalia and the Curator a lift to the swamp world to take a closer look - and since the mission had sounded interesting, Stevonnie and Lapis had tagged along.

Stevonnie and Lapis stood next to Vidalia, who was carrying a little clipboard under her arm. She was hoping, she’d told them, to find some lost human artworks - it had long been theorised that treasures like the Mona Lina had been stolen by Blue Diamond, and if they had, they might still survive.

“I’ve gotta say,” Vidalia admitted, “I’m nervous. This isn’t the first time we’ve done this.”

She furrowed her brow.

“Last time we spent an hour on a hothouse world, found nothing, and then he got malaria. It was pretty funny, but kind of disappointing.”

“Malaria is no laughing matter, Vidalia!” the Curator snapped.

Vidalia smirked and rolled her eyes.

“So you’re looking for old human morps,” nodded Lapis, “But I don’t get it. I’ve heard of drawing, painting, sculpting… what the _heck_ is Mona Lina?”

Vidalia crossed her arms.

“What’re you teaching this gem, Stevonnie?” she asked wryly.

“Well, you know, i-it just… never came up,” replied Stevonnie.

Vidalia chuckled. “Don’t blame me if Leonardo personally haunts you.”

Lapis tilted her head.

“What, the sneople guy?”

“That’s _Ronaldo_ , Lapis.”

* * *

As the ship landed in the marshland next to a rusty, twisted wreck, kicking up a small spray of putrid mud, it was watched from the shrubs by a cloaked figure with a long, sharpened stick. Their face was covered by the hood of their cloak, body sinewy and posture poor - in a word, they looked almost like a hermit.

As they watched the crew step down the ramp (the Curator tripping and falling face-first into the mud), they clenched their stick harder. They bowed their head and stepped back into the reeds - they couldn’t come out just yet, they told themself. They needed to wait for just the right time…

* * *

Stevonnie studied the wrecked ship. It looked almost exactly like Aquamarine’s, save for the long rusted surface and the dents and distortions where it had crashed. The door was still closed, and they heard the Curator rub his now-dirty hands together.

“It’s environmentally sealed!” he exclaimed, “Jackpot!”

“Yeah, unless the _crew’s_ still in there, genius,” snapped Amethyst, drawing her whip, “Everyone behind me - we’re going in first.”

She and Peridot stepped cautiously forward, the first mate slowly placing her hand over the entry pad. A few subtle movements, and it activated - the door slowly opened, sparks flying and metal groaning as it did.

There was no crew inside - instead there were boxes, each filled with trinkets, a few overturned but most still standing. Stevonnie found they recognised a lot of it - old GameBros, cans of soda, t-shirts, cutlery, scale models, TVs, wrappers and cardboard boxes and everything in between. In the centre of the room, in somewhat nicer boxes, were museum pieces - old watches, plates, portraits, weapons and clothing - and they heard Vidalia catch her breath slightly.

The older woman walked over to one of the boxes, slowly taking out a small, unremarkable-looking portrait inside. She spoke, and her voice seemed to crack.

“The Mona Lina,” she said.

“Wait, it’s a painting?” asked Lapis, “Why didn’t you say that before?”

“Yeah, that’s the title of the painting,” replied Stevonnie.

“Oh, right, that makes sense.”

“There’s more!” The Curator fished an old sword from another box, “This looks like it’s from the Meiji Restoration period, I think… there’s some _really good stuff in here!_ ”

He turned around, grinning.

“What did I tell you?” he said, “ _Jackpot!_ ”

Punctuating his statement with an almost comical amount of irony, a giant, scaled tentacle burst from the mud, wrapped around Peridot’s leg and pulled her screaming into the air.

“...w-well, there’s some complications,” admitted the Curator.

Instantly, Amethyst and Stevonnie sprang into action, charging out into the marsh with their weapons drawn. Lapis followed close behind, extending her arms and forming some of the watery muck into chains, of which she prepared to shoot towards the strange creature.

They never got a chance. There was a deafening squeal, and the tentacle dropped Peridot. Looking down, Stevonnie saw a wooden stick piercing the base of the creature - then, with a mighty splash, it fell into the marsh, revealing a small, hooded figure behind.

“Okay,” said Amethyst, “Uh, guess that’s a local, um…”

Slowly, Stevonnie stepped forwards, sword down and hands carefully displayed. The figure made no response, and Stevonnie could not see their face - they just stood there, watching the fusion approach.

“Uh… _hello_ ,” said Stevonnie carefully, “We come in peace…”

They pointed at themself.

“I’m… a _friend_ ,” she said very carefully, “Do you understand?”

“Yes…”

Stevonnie’s eyes widened as the figure pulled back their hood, smiling warmly back at them.

“...I do,” said Ruby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been waiting a long time for this.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roob Cube time!
> 
> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. She is the best person; read her stuff.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

“Ruby?!”

Stevonnie stared, dumbstruck, at the familiar figure. It was definitely their Ruby, no question about it - the headband confirmed that it could be no other. She was a bit dirty and muddy - under her cloak, she wore a rather spartan dark-red jumpsuit with a small, lighter-coloured star in the middle. Her eyes betrayed a hundred emotions - weariness, solitude, despair and _hope_.

At last, Stevonnie leapt forward, pulling the small Ruby into a hug.

“I thought you were dead!” they exclaimed.

“I thought _you_ were dead!” replied Ruby, laughing.

“Hey, hey!” said Amethyst, stepping forward, “Save some Roob for me, huh?”

Stevonnie put down Ruby and she instantly pulled Amethyst into her own hug. Next to them, Peridot was practically vibrating in place, stars in her eyes - her old admiration for ‘the Garnet’, Stevonnie thought, must be returning to the fore. For Lapis’ part, she seemed surprised, but her reaction seemed understated, as if she was still processing the little red gem’s presence.

“ _Ame!_ ” Ruby exclaimed, “Oh, it’s so good to see you! I’m so happy I could _fuse_ with you!”

“Yes, how about you _don’t_ do that,” Peridot said defensively.

“Wait, speaking of fusion,” Stevonnie looked around for anyone else on the swamp, but saw nobody. “Where’s Sapphire?”

“Sapphire.”

There was a long pause, and Ruby stared at her feet.

“Oh… Ruby, I’m so…”

Amethyst’s words were cut off by a snort from the small red gem.

“Heh, I had you goin’ there, didn’t I?” laughed Ruby, crossing her arms, “No, Sapphy’s all fine.”

“Y… Ruby, you… _argh!_ ” Amethyst kicked up some mud into Ruby’s face in frustration.

“Sapphire’s alive?” gasped Peridot, “Then… then _Garnet_ still… oh, thank the stars, for moment there I was _terrified…_ ”

Ruby giggled a little more before pointing over her shoulder.

“She’s back at our hut,” she said, “Come on, come on, you gotta meet her!”

She began to trudge through the mud, excitedly gesturing back to them as she did.

“Follow me, you should!” she said eagerly, “See Sapphire, you will!”

Amethyst glanced at Stevonnie.

“Is it just me, or she a little more…”

“ _Eccentric?_ ”

“I was gonna say _nuts_ , but that works too.”

* * *

They left Vidalia and the Curator at the ship, following Ruby deep into the swampy jungle. It was not a pleasant place - the air, which had once been humid and thick but otherwise negligible to the senses, turned increasingly unpalatable and sulfurous the deeper they journeyed. Strange noises constantly emerged from the brown-green trees; gurgles and groans that wouldn’t have been out of place in a cheap horror movie. It was about as far from the island as you could get, and Lapis wondered why anyone would try to make a home here.

 _Oh yeah,_ she thought, _marooned._

She reminded herself that they had gotten extremely lucky. Not only had they landed on a much nicer world, but Stevonnie and Lapis had landed on the _same planet_. How unlikely was that, she wondered. Was it simply coincidence, or had some sort of _fate_ brought them together?

Nah, she decided, fate wasn’t real. It was just an enormous stroke of luck.

The hut was tiny, constructed from thick, slimy branches with a roof thatched from reeds. The building absolutely reeked of soggy wood and mud, but beggars could not be choosers, and it seemed it was all there was. There wasn’t even a door - Ruby simply walked through a gap between branches.

“Honey, I’m home!” she called, “And take a look at who I found!”

Getting through the door was hard - it was clearly built for a person of Ruby’s height, not Lapis’ and _certainly_ not Stevonnie’s. The room beyond was tiny, and Lapis felt decidedly claustrophobic as she squatted to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling.

Sapphire was standing on the opposite side of the room - she had gone deathly quiet. She still wore a dress, although mud was caked along the bottom - it was much simpler, the shoulder pads gone, a little star on the ribbon around the waist. Her body language was inscrutable - was she in shock? Was she calm? Excited? Displeased? Her face remained stoic, and without seeing her eye, Lapis honestly couldn’t tell.

At last, she spoke.

“Stevonnie… Amethyst… Peridot…”

Her voice cracked with each syllable.

“Hey Sapph,” said Amethyst, smiling gently, “Surprised?”

Sapphire threw herself forward, pulling her fellow Crystal Gems into a tight hug, tears flowing freely from her eye. As she watched Ruby join the hug, all of them breaking down into unashamed sobbing, she felt… _empty._ She should be happy, shouldn’t she? Why did she feel so…

...right, she realised - this wasn’t her family, not really. It was a family she _could_ have had, but it was clear that ship had long sailed. And for the first time, Lapis realised just how deeply she regretted that.

* * *

“So, we’ve only just arrived and you’ve decided to leave with us?” asked Peridot.

“Peri, let’s be real, this planet is a _shithole_ ,” replied Amethyst.

“Amethyst, don’t use that language in front of Stevonnie,” said Sapphire.

“I… they’re like _thirty_ , Sapphire!”

“Oh yes. I… forgot. Sorry.”

Lapis stood next to a tree (she didn’t dare sit - the muck was bubbling ominously), watching the group prepare to leave. Stevonnie was animatedly explaining New Earth and the Island and the battle with Blue Diamond, Ruby listening in rapt attention. Occasionally, Sapphire would glance towards her.

Then, without fanfare, she wandered over. The others didn’t notice - Stevonnie had gotten to the fight with the Amethysts on Blue Diamond’s ship.

“Lapis.”

“Mmm.”

Lapis felt something against her hand. She looked down - Sapphire had gently touched it and was looking up at her, a small smile on her face.

“What’re you…”

“I’ve been looking at some of your futures, Lapis.”

“Yeah, well, that’s kind of an invasion of privacy, you know?” grunted Lapis.

“I can’t help it,” Sapphire chuckled, “I’m a Sapphire.”

“Oh,” grumbled Lapis, “ _Good._ ”

They stood in silence for some time.

“I know,” she said.

“Know what?” asked Lapis.

“How you feel.”

“So what?” replied Lapis, “It’s not my family. It’s my own stupid fault, I can’t turn back time. I…”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Sapphire glanced meaningfully towards Stevonnie, who was gesticulating wildly as they described the heart exploding. Lapis gazed from them to Sapphire and back.

“Uh… yeah, we’re friends, I don’t… I don’t know what…”

“Come with me.”

Sapphire grabbed her hand again, slowly but firmly pulling her behind a pile of reeds. She sat on a big log and motioned for Lapis to sit with her - hesitantly, she did, wincing as she heard a loud squelch as she did so.

“You like them,” said Sapphire simply.

“Yeah, _duh_ , I live with them!” exclaimed Lapis, “I…”

“No,” replied Sapphire, “The more I heard from Stevonnie, the more I could see your relationship. It’s… unexpected, it’s new, it’s…”

She turned around, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“You love them,” she said.

“I… I mean, I… I don’t want to…”

Lapis sighed.

“I don’t know,” she said at last, “I mean, yeah, I do love them, but… is it… I mean…”

“Well, what does your gem tell you?” asked Sapphire, “What do you feel deep within your being when you look into their eyes?”

“I…”

“Do you feel like you’d be shattered for them?” Sapphire continued, “That everything you ever were, everything you ever did, led you to where you are now? Do you feel like they’re a part of you, like a limb you never knew you had?”

“Sapphire, I…”

“Do you want to hold onto them,” Sapphire finished dramatically, “And never let go?”

Lapis paused, jaw dropped slightly.

“I… yes,” admitted Lapis.

“That’s how I feel when I’m with Ruby,” said Sapphire.

Lapis paused again, eyes wide as she tried to force something, _anything_ out of her mouth. Eventually she have up, burying her head in her hands.

“It doesn’t _matter_ ,” she said at last, “They don’t feel the same way. I don’t… I can’t ruin this by telling them stupid things like…”

“How do you know that they don’t?”

Lapis had no reply. She stammered quietly for a moment, then shrugged.

“I just don’t want to risk it,” she said quietly.

Sapphire nodded sympathetically.

“It’ll be hard,” she agreed, “But sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith.”

She stood up, smiling at the other blue gem.

“Come on,” she said, “I think it’s time we left this planet behind.”

* * *

“...yeah, we’re gonna have to tell Lenny,” the Curator was saying as they returned to the ship, “They’ve stuffed a car in there. 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II - you can’t say old Blue doesn’t have taste… ooh, do you think we could make it work?”

“Uh-huh, and where are you going to drive it?”

“I dunno, around?”

“Around _what?_ There’s no roads!”

“There’s a path.”

“Right, great, so you’re gonna explain to Jeff why you bounced a Peridot off the hood…”

Amethyst waded over to the ramp of the _Crystal Avenger_ , turning around to call to Vidalia and the Curator when she reached the metal surface. She gestured with one arm.

“You two coming?!”

Vidalia nodded, waving back.

“One more crate!” she called back.

“Cool!”

Stevonnie turned to Ruby and Sapphire, their face set into a curious frown.

“There’s one thing I don’t get,” they asked, “Why aren’t you still Garnet?”

Ruby and Sapphire glanced at each other.

“We, uh, we stayed Garnet for about a year,” replied Ruby, “But it was…”

“... _lonely_ ,” finished Sapphire, “In a sense. Of course, we were never _alone_ , but… after a time, we felt like we began to lose ourselves. There was no one to talk to; we had the choice to continue to talk to ourselves, or talk to each other. It felt… right, this way. We needed each other, to talk together, to touch and hold each other, laugh and cry and grow together… we needed _each other_ , not ourselves, at least for a little while.”

“How did _a little while_ turn into _twelve years?_ ” asked Amethyst.

Ruby took Sapphire’s hands, smiling as she looked into her wife’s eyes.

“Well,” she said, “I think we were just waiting for the right moment.”

Sapphire giggled.

“Alright!”

Vidalia stepped onto the ramp, effortlessly carting a crate behind her. (On the other side, the Curator was visibly struggling with his end, wheezing and moaning as he staggered onwards.)

“That’s everything,” she said, “You guys ready to head back to New Earth?”

“Well, what do you say, Sapphy?” asked Ruby, “You ready to get back to the world?”

“Hmm… not just yet,” replied Sapphire.

She pulled Ruby into a kiss, spinning her around as she did so. Their bodies glowed a brilliant white, flowing into a single, unified form - tall, square hair, a shining visor over three eyes.

Garnet grinned, hugging herself.

“ _Now_ I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I already said it but I'd like to give an extra thanks to RFD for vastly improving Sapphire's explanation as to why they weren't Garnet. Again, if you haven't read her fics, I highly recommend you do that.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will probably be our last update before Christmas, so I decided to make this a bit different. We're gonna take stock for a bit, see what New Earth is like, how the community there works together. Enjoy!
> 
> Special thanks to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. She's the best, better than all the rest. And I'd like to take this opportunity to wish her a Happy [insert holiday of choice here]!

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_Okay… testing, testing, one two three, is this thing working?_

_It is? Awesome._

_Hi. My name is Jeff Fryman, second Mayor of New Earth, husband of Dockmaster Peedee Fryman and possessor of the largest comics collection still in existence. (Is that important? I think that’s important.) I’m making this log to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the foundation of New Earth._

_It’s sort of hard to know what to feel about that. See, if it’s fifteen years since we founded New Earth, it’s fifteen years since we lost the Earth. Everyone who was alive back then lost someone, lost more people than anyone can image. I mean, Peedee lost his dad and Ronaldo, and… and I lost mom…_

_But on the other hand, nobody could have imagined how successful New Earth’s ended up being. We’ve got houses and electricity and clothing fabrication, and Lenny says we might have that food synthesizer by next year! We… we should all be_ dead! _We should’ve eaten each other or something, but we survived!_

_So how do we mark this? Are we celebrating? Are we commemorating? I… what do I call this? What do we do?_

_I… I’ll get back to you._

* * *

“I just can’t think of anything!”

Jeff sat on the couch, clutching his head, as Peedee and Blue Pearl considered his brief rant. He had a week to go before the anniversary, and the poor Mayor had nothing. Peedee felt for him - his husband looked haggard and worn, his eyes rimmed from lack of sleep. He was clearly thinking hard about this - in fact, Peedee wondered if he was overthinking it.

“Maybe we should ask around?” Peedee suggested, “See what people wanna do? Maybe they just want to keep it low key, or maybe they want a party…”

“But if I do that, it’s not a surprise!” exclaimed Jeff.

Peedee nodded sympathetically.

“I don’t think you _can_ do this as a surprise, honey,” he replied, “I… I think you better just let people know it’s happening.”

“It could bring up bad memories,” Blue Pearl added softly.

“Yeah, what Blue said,” nodded Peedee.

He shrugged.

“How about we take a walk around and ask people what _they_ think we should do for New Earth’s anniversary? Maybe they’ll come up with something we can use. It’s worth a shot, right?”

Jeff scratched his chin, nodding thoughtfully.

“That could work,” he said, “I’ll talk to Stevonnie about it - they’d probably be up to help with that.”

He sat up, smiling and snapping his fingers.

“Yeah!” he said, “That’s perfect!”

* * *

The Diamond’s Lament was, to put it simply, a nightmarish excuse of a bar. On the outside, the wooden paneling was worn and any attempts at paint were peeling; it certainly leant itself to the tried-and-true vibe that was inherent in much of New Earth. However, within the creaky tavern doors -- there was an equally underwhelming bar, just like you might expect. It was only after a conversation with the landlord, who was consequently also the barkeep, that Stevonnie truly came to appreciate how many stories were told by the crooked floorboards, the dim lighting, the jaded look on the faces of many customers.

Simon, the landlord, was an old Londoner who was in his late fifties - when the world had ended, he had been in the British military. Those days were long past, and from his demeanor, Stevonnie could tell he didn’t miss it one bit. Now his job was to run the Diamond’s Lament, to grow vegetables and fruit under sun lamps in the back, to operate New Earth’s general store from a window at the southend of the ramshackle building. It was a busy life, but it kept his mind of things.

“My mind,” he said, “Has been uneasy since long before the Cluster. The work keeps my mind off things.”

They spoke for a while on Simon’s ideas for the anniversary - he admitted he had few ideas and would need time to gather his thoughts. Their conversation was interrupted by some new patrons - Commander Lewis and a couple of the Human Resistance. When he saw them, Simon’s expression darkened.

“Bloody fools,” he muttered, “Playing soldier.”

“What do you mean?” asked Stevonnie.

Simon shrugged.

“There were a couple of old military people on New Earth when it started up,” he replied, “Me, Franks, I think two other officers, couple of soldiers. Now me, I just wanted to put soldiering behind me; thought I might be able to have a decent night’s sleep if I did. But Franks, he was adamant that we had to ‘do something.’”

He shook his head.

“Franks is an idiot,” he said, “But his heart’s in the right place, deep down. It’s the others that scare me. Franks wanted to fight back and he’d take anyone willing - but a lot of the people he got…”

For a long pause, Simon studied his hands, reliving some sort of memory to which they were not privy. Judging by his expression, Stevonnie wasn’t sure they would want to be.

“Be on your guard,” he warned, “These are kids who think soldiering and uniforms are glamorous, being groomed by a bunch of hateful bastards who’d shatter every gem they could get their hands on. Keep your distance, kid.”

Stevonnie swallowed, looking back at the resistance members. One locked eyes with her - he grinned, slowly running a finger over his neck.

“Whatever this is,” Simon spoke up again, “It has to be a repudiation of everything those people stand for. I don’t care what else you do, but give them a good kick in the rear.”

“I’ll let Jeff know,” Stevonnie nodded, “Maybe we can make it a celebration of human and gem harmony?”

“I reckon that’d be a brilliant idea, kid,” Simon said, smiling.

Behind them, a cry rang out as the resistance members raised their glasses.

“To the glorious victory!” they cried.

Simon cringed and turned his back away.

“Ain’t no such bloody thing,” he muttered, heading into the back room. “In war, there are no real _victories_.”

* * *

The Diamond’s Lament sold drinks, but there was very little stock left of the old spirits of Earth. There was a facsimile of beer on tap at the counter, watered down to almost comic levels to keep supplies going, and a strong synthetic rum that took a lot of getting used to, but, increasingly, New Earth was forced to rely on new methods of obtaining a ‘buzz.’

“We need to celebrate our food and drink,” said a Topaz as she swept the floor (they called her Spot, because of the big round gem on her stomach), “There’s nowhere humans are more creative in then making what they eat.”

“And working out new ways to get drunk,” muttered Peedee.

Jeff suppressed a giggle at his husband’s quip.

“What do you think’s most important?” asked Jeff.

“Well, you have to show off the Paste,” replied Spot.

Jeff shuddered. The Paste had been one of the sole sources of food in the fraught early days of New Earth - a tasteless, slimy, sickly grey substance that could mass produced from one of the transports they’d taken from Blue Diamond. The mere mention of the Paste could send a chill through the strongest heart and the strongest stomach - it had been replaced as soon as alternative food sources could be found. Nobody, _nobody at all_ , missed the stuff.

“Apart from that,” Spot continued, “You need to mention all the scavengers who go out to get our food supplies. They don’t get enough gratitude, y’know? Think of what we wouldn’t have without them.”

“Well, Jenny’ll like that,” mused Jeff.

“Hey, come to think of it, has she met back up with Stevonnie?” asked Peedee, “I think she keeps missing them.”

Jenny Pizza had become a scavenger; she took a small capsule on long voyages to find supplies for New Earth. It was difficult and dangerous work, but enormously rewarding - not just for New Earth itself, but for the scavenger, who got to see a much wider universe than most others in the little settlement. The downside was long periods of loneliness in space, but for many, the wonders of the galaxy made it worth it.

Jenny knew Stevonnie was back, and Stevonnie knew Jenny was alive, but life of a scavenger left precious little time for reconnection. There was always something that needed doing.

“We’ll, that’s something we’re definitely doing,” declared Jeff, “All the scavengers in port get the night off.”

“...they work to their own schedule, Jeff.”

“Yeah, but I’m declaring a public holiday, so they’re not allowed to work.”

“I have one more thing,” added Spot, “But this is a more general thing. I think we need a discussion about Reddick Berries.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure if we can do that on the anniversary, but I’ll keep that in mind…”

* * *

Lapis stared at the little green-yellow berry in her hand. It was about the size of a grape, and felt juicy and cool to the touch. It had a mild sour smell and a smooth texture - it didn’t look half bad, but it didn’t look like much to worry about.

“So, this is a Reddick Berry?”

Buck Dewey nodded from the other side of the stall. Lapis had never really known Buck, but she knew enough to realise that he’d changed dramatically. He had grown mutton chops, making him vaguely resemble a nineteenth century outlaw. A long, nasty scar ran over the middle of his face, from the middle of his right cheek to just under his left eye. He wore a long coat over an old sweater, everything patched and worn - he could get new clothes, he said, but the ‘hobo/cowboy’ look he was running with just ‘fit,’ apparently.

These days, Buck ran a market stall, selling wares picked up by scavengers that weren’t necessarily _vital_ , but were in demand. Payment was done by barter - a customer gave Buck something valuable, and Buck gave them as much stock as the object was worth. As a result, haggling was the order of the day in New Earth’s small market.

“Sure is,” replied Buck, “We used to get them from a planet near Titanicus XIX-XII, but we’ve started growing them in house.”

“You mean in shack?”

“Hey, I’m thinking of adding another storey.”

“So,” asked Lapis, turning the berry over in her hand, “What does a Reddick Berry do? And why’s it called that? It’s green…”

“It’s named after the woman who discovered it,” replied Buck, “And it’s a hallucinogen.”

“...halluci-what?”

Buck shrugged.

“Back when old Earth was destroyed,” he replied, “We lost all our supply of lot of things humans enjoyed - tobacco, cannabis, things like that. We used to use them to calm down, or to get into an altered state of mind. So when we found this it was like… _yeah, man._ ”

Despite changing neither his tone nor facial expression, Lapis could detect Buck’s emphasis.

“Reddick Berries are the most popular ‘cause they’re a communal thing,” continued Buck, “They create a sort of psychic connection between minds under the influence of the berry, so that the visions and hallucinogens are _shared_. If you do it right, it gets pretty cosmic.”

“You can do it wrong?” asked Lapis.

“Doing it with strangers is dangerous,” replied Buck, “You never know what inner demons might come up, or what they could do to your mind while you’re connected. You can’t _die_ , but a lot of people who aren’t careful can get traumatised real bad.”

“So it’s like fusion, but more dangerous.”

“Maybe,” Buck replied, “I don’t know. I’ve never fused.”

He reached into the basket and handed Lapis a second berry.

“Give it a go, see what you think,” he suggested, “And take this one for your barnmate. I reckon you’ll enjoy it.”

“Uh,” Lapis scratched the back of her head, “I don’t know if I’m comfortable with this.”

“Sure, no pressure,” replied Buck kindly, putting the berry back, “But if you ever change your mind, the offer still stands. Family friend discount.”

Lapis titled her head.

“I’m not your family.”

“No, but I consider Steven an honorary brother,” replied Buck, “Which makes Stevonnie an honorary sibling. And if they like you, that’s all I need to know.”

“I…”

Lapis gave Buck a small smile.

“Thanks.”

Buck smiled back.

“Anytime, sister.”

* * *

“We had three doctors when we started, and one of them was a vet.”

Stevonnie sat across from Doctor West, the head doctor at the New Earth General Hospital. Like everything else, this building was ramshackle, painted a sterile white that did little to hide the hodgepodge of wood and corrugated iron that made its walls. It was not long for the world - New Earth’s builders, including a couple of skilled Bismuths, were in the final stages of construction of a new hospital, which was supposed to be a bigger and a little more _windproof._

West was an old man; he intended to retire once the move to the new hospital was done. Once he had been a colleague of Doctor Priyanka Maheswaran (“I must say, I’m really sorry about what happened to your mom.”) He had been a relatively junior doctor, an assistant to Doctor Stromberg. Now he was bearded and grey, and his hands shook when idle. His time was coming to an end, he said, and it was time to bow out gracefully.

“So what did you do?” asked Stevonnie.

“We had a lot of volunteers,” replied West, “A lot of them we’d never have expected to become a doctor.”

He pointed over his shoulder at a Ruby in nurses’ scrubs, washing her hands in the staff room sink.

“They were willing to learn, and we were willing to teach,” he continued, “But a lot of the medicines, we had remake from scratch. Thank god for the scavengers or we’d never have been able to do it. Even now, we’re short on a lot of things - and we have to deal with _new_ infections now. Feels like an arms race, sometimes.”

He took a sip of his drink, remembering.

“The worst crisis I remember,” he continued, “Was Grasseye. It got brought in by a scavenger - basically, it caused fungal growth under the skin; you’d notice it because it’d come out over your eyes and through your gums, and eventually it’d clog your vital organs. It was _horrible_. We lost thirty people to it, I think.”

He shook his head.

“Thank god for the gems,” he said, “Every tech they bring us is a miracle. We stopped Grasseye because a Peridot worked out a cure from an isolated fungus sample. We have vaccines, insulin, all those things because they made them for us.”

He shrugged.

“It’s still touch and go sometimes, but we make it because we work together,” he said, “New Earth works because humans and gems combine to make it work.”

“Because we need each other,” said Stevonnie.

“Bingo.”

West sat back, templing his hands.

“That’s what I’d say to Jeff,” he continued, “Don’t make this about mourning; we’ve mourned enough. Don’t make it a celebration of New Earth and human survival because some of those idiots in the human resistance will take it the wrong way. Make it about _us_ \- about the relationships we’ve formed. We’re all family here - how about we celebrate that?”

* * *

“ _Homebase to Acheron, Homebase to Acheron, come in Acheron._ ”

“Peedee! You taking over for Lenny today?”

“ _Nah, this is a personal call. You got a moment to swing back to New Earth? Jeff’s holding an anniversary event and we figured we could use it to reacquaint you with Stevonnie._ ”

“Well, I was heading back anyway, and I’ve really been looking forward to meeting ‘Vonnie again. Sure, I’ll be on the ground in twelve hours, tops.”

“ _Appreciate it, Jenny. Let me know when you land._ ”

“Hey, Peedee, before you go; tell Vidalia I’ve found something very special for her.”

“ _What, for the museum?_ ”

“Mmmmmmaybe?”

“ _Sure, I’ll tell her! She’ll love that! Okay, see you soon, Jen._ ”

“You too, ‘Dee, you too.”

_Click._

A stretch and a sigh.

“I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees _you…_ ”

* * *

“...last year we saw the end of food rationing for the last staple foods… no, using food twice in the same sentence sounds awkward.”

Jeff stood in front of the dirty mirror in his room, clad in a dark green suit and tie. He had just shaved for the occasion (and managed to cut his cheek, _damn it,_ ) and was going over his speech notes for the night ahead (not that night really differed from day here, but it made sense to stick to a twenty-four hour day cycle when half of the population was human). He was already deeply anxious - this was an important event, and he was still finding holes in his speech in the eighth reading.

“Hey Jeff!” Peedee stepped into the room, “You ready?”

Jeff turned, and caught his breath for a moment. His husband was dressed in a sand-brown tuxedo, shirt and tie roguishly abandoned and replaced with a long-sleeved shirt that exposed a glimpse of his chest hair. He grinned at Jeff’s reaction.

“I, ugh, uh, _hot_ ,” stammered Jeff.

Peedee chuckled.

“Blue Pearl’s waiting on us,” he said, “We gotta run.”

“Yeah, yeah, I just…”

Jeff took a deep breath, adjusting his tie.

“Yeah,” he said firmly, “I got this.”

He stepped up to Peedee and wrapped an arm around his, grinning goofily.

“Let’s do it.”

* * *

Jenny Pizza couldn’t help but feel a little bit _underdressed_.

Everyone else had dressed in their bests, which, on New Earth, translated to clothes that looked _presentable_ thanks to the fabricator, and here she was, fresh from her ship in her scavenger clothes; an old, cropped khaki jacket with the sleeves cut off, a pair of rough canvas trousers and dirty brown leather boots, the stains of sod and sweat still caking her body. Her biceps, toned and muscular from years of intensive physical activity, glistened slightly in the lights of the crowded Diamond’s Lament.

A pasty, thin officer of the Human Resistance, clad in a tight black dress uniform that he had probably designed himself, sneered at her unkempt appearance. She ignored him - she doubted he’d ever done a day of hard work in his life, never mind doing anything to help keep New Earth running.

“Jenny!”

Jenny turned around and, without even enough time to catch her breath, was pulled into a crushing embrace by Stevonnie. She laughed, hugging her old friend back.

“Stevonnie!” Jenny replied, stepping back after a moment, “So it’s true - you’re keeping the fusion gig up, full-time?”

“Yeah,” nodded Stevonnie, “I…”

“Awesome!” said Jenny, “And where’s the girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend?” asked Stevonnie, “What do you mean…”

Their eyes widened and they raised their arms, blushing furiously.

“Wait, no, Lapis isn’t… we’re not…”

Jenny laughed again, slapping a hand on their shoulder.

“I know, I know, I’m just messin’ with you!” she replied.

“Stevonnie, Mayor Jim says he’s speaking in…”

Lapis appeared from the crowd, trailing off as she saw Jenny.

“Oh, uh, this is your friend… _Kenny_ , right?” she asked.

“Jenny,” the girl corrected gently, extending her hand.

“No, I’m Lapis,” replied Lapis, gently tapping Jenny’s hand, “Anyway, I’ve got a seat up the front when you’re ready.”

She walked away, leaving Stevonnie and Jenny alone.

“Blue, huh?” said Jenny, “Well… if you _did_ decide to date her, you could do a _lot worse…_ ” She grinned teasingly.

“I… _Jenny!_ ”

Jenny laughed and playfully punched Stevonnie’s arm.

“ _Kidding!_ ” she said.

She leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially.

“Just between you-me,” she hissed, “I got a little something planned for tonight.”

She winked and turned around, disappearing back into the crowd.

Stevonnie blinked, tilting their head.

“...huh,” they said, “Wonder what she’s up to…”

“Yo, ‘Vonnie?”

Stevonnie turned. Amethyst had walked up to them, a perplexed frown on her face.

“You seen V?” she asked, “I was gonna ask her to sit with me n’ ‘Dot, but I can’t find her.”

Stevonnie shrugged and shook their head.

“I’m afraid not,” they said, “I did see Jenny though…”

“Cool, cool,” nodded Amethyst, “Let me know if she turns up, alright? Last thing I want is for her to have to listen to that Curator guy talk about train numbers or army buttons or something all night…”

She walked away, leaving Stevonnie once more with the promise if they saw Vidalia, they would point her in Amethyst’s direction

* * *

“...okay, Jen’s ready when you’re done…”

“...right, yeah, okay…”

Jeff took a deep breath.

“Here we go.”

Jeff stepped out onto the stage, passing the musician that had been singing before him on the way. He stopped in front of the microphone, smiling awkwardly as the whole room applauded him.

“Thank you, Dan,” he said, briefly turning to the singer offstage, “Well, it’s been…”

 _God_ , he thought, he didn’t deserve it - New Earth worked because of _them_ , not because of _him_.

Wait.

_Wait._

_That was it!_

Jeff grinned and tucked his speechnotes back into his suit pocket.

“Okay,” he said, “I had a speech about milestones and food rationing and everything being better, but I think I have a better idea. I wanted to make a speech about how we work together - as humans and gems - to make something better for us all. And I don’t want to do that by talking statistics.”

“When we came to this place, we had nothing,” he continued, “And had lost _everything_. Some of us were lucky - we had husbands, wives, families - and some of us weren’t.”

Buck Dewey looked down at the floor, his shoulders sagging.

“We survived,” continued Jeff, “Because there were gems willing to defy their own Homeworld to make sure we survived. Who helped us gather food, build shelter and infrastructure; they risked their _lives_ for us for no reason other then the faint promise of freedom. We owe them everything.”

There were a few annoyed grunts as members of the Human Resistance angrily began to file out - to his credit, Captain Franks did not, awkwardly watching Commander Lewis shove people aside as she went for the door.

“And now, look where we are,” said Jeff, “We have a port. We have a hospital. We have stores, markets and… and we make our own food! I mean, sure, that two-headed ox thing isn’t actually a cow, but it tastes the same, right? We’re building new buildings - _real_ buildings! And all of this happened because we built a _community_.”

He looked across the room once more. He saw a young man and a lilac sapphire at the same table, sharing a drink. He saw Lenny and the hulking jasper Carl, the latter lifting a little girl up to help her see. He saw a woman and a light-yellow pearl, arms around each other, a faint blush on their cheeks. And at the front, he saw Stevonnie and Lapis, a partnership that had managed to survive and thrive alone on their little island. There were dozens of other little stories of cooperation scattered throughout the Diamonds’ Lament, testament to the heart of their home.

“So this is who we are,” said Jeff, “We’re not just gems, we’re not just humans. We’re not Earthlings and we’re not from space. We’re something better. We are _united_. And our _very existence_ is a triumph, a message to the entire galaxy; _we are still here!_ And as long as we’re together, no power in the universe can destroy us! Because we represent something more powerful than any weapon, any fleet, any Diamond!”

He allowed his voice to echo in the dead silence of the room.

“We,” he continued at last, “Are _hope_. And that is a light that can _never_ be extinguished.”

He chuckled to himself.

“After all,” he said, “There are still little miracles happening across the universe, every day. Isn’t that right…”

He turned to the backstage and grinned.

“... _Sour Cream?_ ”

The man that emerged from behind the stage had been cleaned up as best they could. Jenny had found him on a lonely desert planet, the last survivor of a small transport pod that had been bound for the Zoo (or, so she guessed.) He had been thin, almost skeletal, and his eyes had been sunken - a long, long beard underlined his face. Even after a meal, a shave and a change of clothes, he still looked worn and haggard, stumbling as if in a dream onto the light of the stage.

His mother walked behind him, her remaining arm over his shoulder, waving somewhat awkwardly with her limb enhancer. Onion - now tall and lanky but otherwise not so different from before, and quiet as always - brought up the rear, his expression impassive as ever.

The audience regarded Sour Cream and his mother - their eyes fell on the limb enhancer that replaced Vidalia’s arm, and Sour Cream’s dry skin and sunken eyes. These were the scars they bore, the price they’d paid for survival, a living tribute to the sacrifice that had created New Earth and kept it alive. The tension in the air was palpable - Jeff wondered for a moment if he’d done something wrong, if he should have kept this private, if…

“This is my son.”

Vidalia spoke into the microphone, her voice wavering slightly.

“I lost him for fifteen years,” she said, “And now he’s back. And the ship that brought him back was made by a gem, and flown by a human. We found him because we let our world’s combine. And I know some people say we shouldn’t but working _together_ …”

Her voice cracked.

“We brought my boy home.”

There was nothing else to be said. Vidalia pulled her son into a embrace, burying his head in her shoulder. Tears fell unashamed from the eyes of both mother and son as they held each other, fifteen long years of separation finally over. Nobody in the crowd dared to make a noise, to interrupt this moment of sorrow and pain and _sheer, unbridled joy_.

It was unfathomably unlikely, almost statistically impossible, and yet here it was - a family reunited after having been split across the cosmos.

Jeff was right. Miracles still happened.

* * *

“...so, I remember finding this in Dad’s stuff - uh, Greg Dad - and he told me _mom_ wrote it? Anyway, I practiced it, and I remember it off by heart now…”

Stevonnie sat on a homemade piano in the back of the now empty Diamond’s Lament. The event was long over now - it was just them (and Simon, scrubbing down the counter), and they were about to leave for the warp pad. However, seeing the piano unoccupied, Stevonnie had felt a sudden urge to give it a play.

“So, these are the lyrics?” asked Lapis, looking down at the quickly scribbled words on the napkin they had handed her.

“Yeah, yeah,” replied Stevonnie, “Just… uh, join in when you’re ready.”

They cracked their fingers and began to play. The sound wasn’t great - the piano had seen a lot of playing, and it was vaguely tinny and high pitched. It gave the tune something of a melancholy feeling. They played the song without singing at first, then took a deep breath.

“Okay, here we go…”

They began to sing.

“ _If I could, begin to be, half of what you think of me,_  
I could do about anything,  
I could even learn how to love…”

Nervously, Lapis looked down at the words and joined in.

 _“When I see, the way you act,_  
Wondering when I’m coming back,  
I could do about anything…”

They both broke into smiles, and Lapis put a hand over Stevonnie’s shoulder, their voices echoing in union in the empty bar room - human and gem, intertwined.

 _“I could even learn how to love like you…_  
Love like you…  
Love me like you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a lovely place to end on, eh? Things seem pretty fine for our heroes; pretty chill, pretty good.
> 
> *breathes in*
> 
> *breathes out*
> 
> I've been waiting to start the next bit for a looooong, long time...


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back! New arc! New arc!
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. She's got some very fine Voltron AU stuff that you ought to read!

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

A lot can change in five years.

New Earth grew every day - for the first time, proper buildings, built from proper materials looted from Homeworld’s abandoned colonies across the universe, had sprung up. There was the hospital, four storeys tall, vibrant with white electric and blue-green neon lights (nothing particularly new, but of much greater quality than what existed at the Diamond’s Lament.) The Museum of Earth had moved to a bigger, more permanent building after the find on the swamp world ,as well as a few other successful recovery missions since. There was even permanent housing going up, replacing the old shacks and shanties. The streets were being paved, the lights no longer flickered on occasion - the time of scavenging and making-do was finally coming to an end.

It was given way to a new age of uncertainty.

Captain Franks was determined to expand the human resistance. New uniforms were being rolled out - a standard grey jumpsuit, augmented with body armour and a helmet that was longer at the back, covering the ears. Recruitment was being handled by Commander Lewis, who pulled  heavily from the young humans of New Earth; the ones who didn’t remember their old homeworld, whose minds could be filled with stirring tales of human culture and wisdom.

What Franks didn’t know, of course, was that she augmented these teachings with a faint hint of _human exceptionalism._ Franks believed he was getting soldiers. He was actually receiving fanatics, something he would have noticed, had he bothered to check. But he didn’t mingle with the ranks; he was too busy trying to dream the next big strategy to fight back against Homeworld. He was completely oblivious to his growing cohort of underlings who hated, _hated_ gems - and weren’t impressed by his soft stance towards them.

Garnet was doing very well for herself these days - she had one of the first apartments on New Earth, although she was often away. Sometimes she went on her own scavenging voyages; others she joined Amethyst’s crew in pirate raids. Sometimes she even helped Simon out at the Diamond’s Lament, or ran errands for Jeff. Often, she simply chilled. It was a pretty good life.

And yet, she saw darkness ahead.

Today, she stood next to Peedee and Blue Pearl as the Human Resistance marched by, band playing and boots stomping on the dark-blue tarmac-like surface of the street. The small groups of gems and humans that watched them march by regarded them with suspicion, even fear, but the Resistance marched regardless; for most of them, this was a show of force. _Take note gems; our time will come._

“Dickheads.”

Peedee’s whisper was quiet and venomous. It also wasn’t an uncommon sentiment. With the exception of Franks, who either could not or chose not to see the behaviour of the underlings, the people of New Earth knew _exactly_ what sort of person marched before them.

“And Jeff lets them march,” replied Garnet, crossing her arms.

“He has to,” replied Peedee, “They’re the biggest defence force we have, even though they’re next to useless. If Homeworld comes, we’ll need ‘em. Jeff wants to set up community defences, though; some kind of, I dunno, Home Guard?”

“I’m worried,” Blue Pearl said softly, “That they may be getting out of hand.”

“Me too, Bloop,” replied Peedee warily, “Me too.”

Garnet said nothing, her face set in a deep frown as she watched the last line of troops pass by. One soldier turned his head, and their eyes briefly met.

It took a lot to unsettle Garnet. The contempt in that man’s eyes was just enough to do so.

* * *

“...aaaand… _done_.”

Stevonnie stepped back, casually tossing the old bucket to the side as they inspected the sandcastle they and Lapis had built.

It had been a long time since they’d had a mission, and if they were honest, Stevonnie had enjoyed the break. While they didn’t _regret_ helping Amethyst with pirate raids, scavenging about with Jenny and the other extraction teams, or keeping Captain Franks from getting himself killed, the little moments they spent with Lapis on their island were often the most special.

Now was one such time. They had spent the morning building a sandcastle with an old bucket and spade. Stevonnie had built the castle proper - Lapis had manipulated water to ensure the sand was just damp enough to stick, as well as filling moats and waterwork around the structure. The end result was quite nice - a moated castle with a few little streams running through it, centred on a big, multi turreted keep in the middle.

“There we go,” declared Stevonnie, “Castello de la Lazuli is finished!”

“Castello de la Lazuli?” quizzed Lapis, “Not Stevonnie?”

“Nah, nah,” replied Stevonnie, “See that tower?” They pointed to a particularly tall one. “That’s where Princess Lapis Lazuli lives. She’s been locked in there by an evil prince called… uh… _Prince Kevin._ ”

“You really don’t like the name ‘Kevin’, do you?”

“Nope!” said Stevonnie cheerfully.

Lapis nodded, crossing her arms.

“I don’t get it,” she said, “Why doesn’t Princess Lapis control the moat water to make a giant fist and punch her way out?”

“Uh, um…” Stevonnie snapped their fingers. “A terrible curse! Kevin hired a fearsome wizard called… called _Marty_ to enchant Princess Lapis so that she couldn’t do that, and… and so she could never walk away from the castle, or she’d fall asleep forever!”

“Sucks to be her,” said Lapis, “So how does she get out?”

“There’s a bold knight!” replied Stevonnie excitedly, “And their name is Stevonnie! And they go on a quest to free Princess Lapis from the spell! And, uh, they have their noble friends; Lady Peridot, the Dread Pirate Amethyst… uh… Garnet, who’s too cool to have a label…”

“Makes sense.”

“Anyway, they make it to the castle, and they fight this _huge_ dragon!” continued Stevonnie, “But then it turns out the dragon only wants to make friends, so Garnet teaches it the power of friendship and love. And then Stevonnie enters the castle and fights King Kevin…”

“Wasn’t he a prince?”

“He promoted himself. Anyway, there’s this big fight, and Stevonnie stabs him in the _spleen_ …”

Stevonnie mimed a stabbing motion.

“...and they go up the tower to Princess Lapis,” they continued, “And they’re there - the, uh, the moon’s shining in the window, and… um…”

They ran a hand over the back of their head.

“I… uh… didn’t think of how to end this,” they said, “I mean, how do you break a curse, right? You, uh, you gotta… um…”

They blushed, clearing their throat.

“...you know, I’ll work it out later,” they shrugged, “Point is, day is saved. Everyone lives happily ever after.”

“Wish our lives were like that,” muttered Lapis.

“Hey.”

Stevonnie put their hands on Lapis’ shoulders and smiled.

“Maybe we’re just still on the way there?”

There was a long silence, save for the sound of the light breeze on the beach. Stevonnie’s face felt hot - must be sunburn, they thought - and yet there seemed to be a strange tension in the air, one they couldn’t quite pin down…

“Stevonnie! Lapis! Y-y-you-I-they need you on New Earth!”

Stevonnie turned, watching Lenny scurry down the beach from the direction of the warp pad. They couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of… _disappointment?_ Why, they couldn’t fathom.

“What is it, Lenny?” they asked.

“W-w-we found an in… an installation!” replied Lenny, “Ye-Yellow Diamond. Could be weapons plans! Amethyst and Franks are organising a r-raid!”

“You mean Amethyst’s organising a raid and Franks is getting in the way,” said Lapis dryly.

“I… _yeah_ ,” nodded Lenny, “Any-anyway, they want you to c-come over for a briefing, i-i-if you’re not in the middle of something or anything!”

“I…”

Stevonnie looked down at the sandcastle, up at Lapis and then finally back towards Lenny. They felt themself _deflate_ for just a moment, but again, they couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.

“...sure thing, Lenny,” they said at last, “Lead the way.”

* * *

The briefing took place on the bridge of Franks’ flagship, the _Lawrence_ \- a place that could be described as overwhelmingly, depressingly grey. To say it was monochromatic would have been too kind; it was three-dimensionally _bleak_. The interior looked not unlike a submarine: dark, covered in red buttons and glowing screens, and more than a little claustrophobic.

Franks was seated in his captain’s chair, Commander Lewis poised dutifully to one side. Stevonnie waved as they’d entered - if looks could kill, the one Lewis shot their way would have obliterated them at an atomic level. Amethyst, Peridot, Lenny, Garnet, Jeff and Jenny sat around the conference table, looking over a crudely drawn map of a star system.

“Stevonnie, Lapis,” nodded Franks, “Take a seat.”

They did as they were bid, and Amethyst stood up.

“Alright, here’s the sitch,” she said, “Jenny found a new space station Ol’ Yeller’s building in one of her mining systems. Some kind of weapons lab or something, maybe. Anyway, we sent it to some of the ‘Dots on New Earth to analyse. Lenny?”

Lenny stood up, biting her lip nervously before beginning.

“Th… uh… C got a little t-team going,” she said, “Uh, Peridot-RFD, P-Peridot E Cut…”

“Get on with it,” snapped Lewis.

“Hey, these Peris deserve credit!” replied Amethyst.

“We’re planning a mission, not giving participation trophies to a bunch of little green…”

“Commander Lewis, that’ll be sufficient,” interrupted Franks, before Amethyst could disembowel the commander, “Continue?”

“Y-yes, th-th-thank you,” said Lenny, “I-I-I b-believe the s-s-station is a… is a platform to r-research bi-biological and geoweaponry. L-like… like…”

“Like the Cluster,” said Stevonnie, their tone grim.

There was a long silence, and the air coalesced into something thicker, an impossibly heavy vapor that was near-suffocating.

“Y-yes,” replied Lenny, “Like the Cluster.”

“Which is _why_ we have to blow this thing to hell,” said Amethyst, pounding her fist into her palm, “And as _badass_ as _most_ of us are-” She glanced ever so briefly to Franks and Lewis, “...we’re gonna need some help. So we’re bringing in the HR.”

Lapis rolled her eyes, and Stevonnie fought the urge to chuckle - thankfully, Franks didn’t seem to have caught that.

“The _Lawrence_ and the _Crystal Avenger_ will keep Homeworld’s fleet assets busy,” said Franks, “Using the following battle strategy, our ships will…”

“Did he really just say _fleet assets?_ ” Lapis whispered as Franks carried on in the background, “What even _are_ those?”

“Ships, I think,” Stevonnie whispered.

“Well why doesn’t he just _say_ that?”

“I think he thinks it makes him sound smarter.”

“...which should divert the attention of their battlewagons,” finished Franks, “Garnet?”

“We’ll come aboard in two teams,” said Garnet, “Jenny and I will sabotage the chemical storage lab, while Stevonnie and Lapis will destroy their record files. The HR will cover the shuttle bays so that we can escape when we’re done.”

“If I may,” Lewis butted in, her face set into a frown, “I don’t believe the HR should be used to babysit some-”

“You may not, Lewis,” grunted Jeff, “One more thing; if you find any evidence of non-gem captives in Yellow Diamond’s possession, we need to know. Anyone we can save, you know?”

“Got it, Jeff,” said Stevonnie, “We’ll keep an eye out.”

“Very good,” said Franks, “We’ll sail in twenty-four hours. Dismissed.”

He got up, marching out of the room with Franks at his heels. For a few moments, Amethyst stared after him.

“Dude knows we hadn’t actually _finished_ , right?” she asked.

She shrugged and turned around.

“Okay, one more thing, guys,” she said, “Peridot?”

“A couple of our scavengers have seen an unidentified object that occasionally approaches New Earth, but then immediately turns around,” said Peridot, “It could be a Homeworld scout.”

“Or it could just be a UFO,” shrugged Jenny.

“It’s _unidentified,_ it’s by _very definition_ a UFO,” said Peridot testily.

“Yeah, but it could be-”

“ _It is not the Roswell Aliens!_ ” shrieked Peridot.

Jenny chuckled, sitting back and crossing her arms.

“Whoever this is, we kinda wanna know who they are,” added Amethyst, “So they at least stop creeping on us or whatever they’re doing. So if you find any files about them on _Yellow Diamond’s Biological Funtime Base_ , let us know.”

She got up.

“Okay,” she said, “ _Now_ you’re dismissed.”

The assembled gems and humans left the room, Stevonnie trailing at the back. Briefly, a scrap of graffiti carved into the table gave them pause.

_PIRATE BITCH = NEW NECKLACE  
WHEN LEWIS TAKES OVER_

They frowned deeply. They’d have to bring this up with Franks, and they resolved to do so as soon as they got back…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be fun, fun, fun.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this'll be the last update of MT for 2018, because it's literally the 31st in my timezone. XD
> 
> A very special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Go read her stuff, it's awesomesauce. I mean, finest quality awesomesauce.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

“Pirate Bitch? _Really?_ That's the best they could think of?”

Amethyst laughed, just about rolling in her captain’s chair. Peridot was seated next to her, caught up in her own fit of giggles. Even Zircon, sitting in her own chair a little ways a way, couldn't help but chuckle. Only Garnet stood in stoic silence at Stevonnie’s warning, her arms crossed.

They were gathered on the bridge. Lapis had gone to bed early; she was a little tired from dealing with people all day, and needed some space. Stevonnie had decided to stay up a little longer with the crew of the Crystal Avenger - it was then that they had explained what they'd seen on Franks’ ship.

“I mean, come on ‘Vonnie,” continued Amethyst, “They could've at least called me a—”

“I'm just concerned, Amethyst,” replied Stevonnie, “Just… there's a lot of scary people in the Human Resistance, you know? Aren't you a little worried about that?”

“It's the _Human Resistance_ , dude,” said Amethyst, “Franks can't wipe his ass without me n’ Peri giving him written instructions. Can you imagine ‘em trying to take us?”

“Franks,” said Garnet, “Isn't the problem.”

“What, you mean Lewis?” snorted Amethyst, “Baby’s First Mussolini? The moment she needs to do anything more than be passive aggressive…”

“I'm not worried about taking on us.”

Garnet was staring out the window, her face grim.

“There are humans and gems on New Earth,” she said, “People that can't fight. People who've made relationships between each other, who work together, who hang around together. There are humans and gems in love with each other.”

Stevonnie felt a strange leaping sensation in their being.

Garnet turned around, Amethyst’s face reflected in her visor.

“Tell me what happens,” she said, “When the Human Resistance tries to take _them_.”

There was a long silence.

“We won't let them, G,” Amethyst said at last.

“Uh… Garnet?” Stevonnie asked before the other fusion could reply, “You mind if we talk? Fusion to fusion?”

Garnet nodded.

“Lead the way, Stevonnie.”

She turned back to Amethyst and Peridot.

“Think about what I said,” she said firmly.

Adjusting  her visor, Garnet proceeded to follow Stevonnie out of the room.

* * *

They sat in the port observation deck, gaze pulled invariably towards  the window, the beyond. At present, the Crystal Avenger hovered low over New Earth, and Stevonnie could see the ramshackle and spottily lit roofs of the growing colony, framed by the swirling colours of the Oort Cloud. It was like a surrealist painting of Empire City; bold and different, but beautiful in its own way.

“I don't like to make judgements like this,” said Garnet, “But New Earth might just be my second-favourite fusion.”

“ _Second_ -favourite?”

“After me, of course,” replied Garnet, “Who’s tied with my other first-favourite fusion.”

She grinned and ruffled Stevonnie’s hair.

“So,” she said, “Tell me what's on your mind.”

Stevonnie paused, pondering exactly what to say.

“Have you ever fallen in love?” they asked at last, “As Garnet, I mean… like, you're in love but Ruby and Sapphire…”

Garnet nodded.

“A couple of times,” she replied, “Now and again. But never the same love Ruby and Sapphire have for each other. Maybe they've spoiled me…”

She chuckled.

“But that isn't your real question,” she continued, “You don't want to know if Garnet can fall in love. You want to know if _Stevonnie_ can fall in love.”

Stevonnie blushed, rubbing the back of her head.

“Well, let's just say I know a… friend, and I…”

“You know a Lapis Lazuli,” Garnet corrected.

There was a long silence.

“This is all future vision stuff, right?”

“No.”

Stevonnie chuckled a little. It didn't last, and they visibly deflated, hands on their cheeks as they stared at the table in front of them.

“But… is it... _right_?” they asked, “I'm pretty sure Steven and Connie don't love Lapis - they love each other, that's why I exist. So if I…”

“Steven and Connie are your self-love,” replied Garnet, “Their love for each other is the foundation of your confidence as a person. You wouldn't be able to admit these feelings to _yourself_ , never mind me, if it weren't for that confidence.”

“I…”

“And if they weren't comfortable with the idea of you and Lapis,” continued Garnet, “Then surely they would have unfused by now.”

“Garnet, I…”

Garnet crossed her arms.

“Say it,” she said, “Pretend I'm Lapis and say how you feel.”

“But…”

“If Steven and Connie feel uncomfortable about it, you will know.”

There was a long silence.

Stevonnie took a deep breath.

“Okay,” they said, “But… don't shapeshift into her or anything. That'd feel kinda weird, you know?”

Garnet gave a thumbs up.

“Okay, here we go…”

Breathe in. Breathe out.

_Take a moment to think of just_

Breathe in. Breathe out.

_Flexibility, love and trust_

“I… I…”

_Flexibility, love and trust_

_Flexibility,_ love _and trust_

“I… love you, Lapis Lazuli.”

Garnet leaned forward.

“Tell me how that felt.”

Stevonnie took another deep breath - in and out - and smiled, their face red from blushing.

“...good. It felt… _really good._ ”

Garnet grinned. “Then say it again.”

“I love you, Lapis Lazuli.”

“I can't hear you!”

“I love you, Lapis Lazuli!”

“ _Louder!_ ”

Stevonnie stood up, arms raised dramatically towards the roof.

“ _I LOVE YOU, LAPIS LAZULI!”_

They turned towards the door and froze.

Amethyst stood there, a mug of warm spacecraft antifreeze in her hand. Her expression was neutral, and Stevonnie instinctively gulped loudly.

“Cool,” said Amethyst, “Good to know.”

She turned and walked casually away.

* * *

“Crystal Avenger _, this is the_ Lawrence _, we are on final approach, over._ ”

“ _Gotcha, Frankie, lettin’ the pods go now._ ”

“ _Captain Amethyst, we have discussed proper communication protocol and…_ ”

“ _Whoa! Sorry, Franks, we’re breakin’ up! PSHHHHT! PSHHHHHHHHT…_ ”

Outside the pod, Stevonnie could see Yellow Diamond’s space station. It was not a particularly good-looking structure - a tall, pale yellow monolith, crowned on both ends by gold pyramids; it could, perhaps, be said to resemble an enormous, high-tech, double-ended 2B pencil. Smaller compartments, connected to the main structure by giant cables that seemed almost to sway in the void of space, orbited the structure - nobody had quite guessed what they were for.

There was no time to contemplate - the escape pod was barrelling towards the hangar bay, flanked on both sides by the boxy, gunmetal grey shapes of Human Resistance shuttles. Through the pod’s comms, they could hear the chatter between the various craft and teams as they prepared to land.

“At least we’ve got backup this time,” mused Stevonnie.

“Let’s hope they don't decide to run away again,” muttered Lapis.

“Well maybe they’ll surpr-”

Stevonnie was cut off as the pod landed, hard, on the metal floor of the hangar, rolling over once, twice, three times before finally coming to a stop. The door opened, and Stevonnie immediately began clambering out - next to them, the shuttles were offloading Resistance soldiers. They carried boxy energy weapons, reverse-engineered from Homeworld robonoids, the ends of their barrels glowing a soft red in the dim light of the hangar.

“Hey!” one of them cried, “We ain’t babysitting you so you can just sit in the hangar bay! Get a move on! Time’s a wastin’!”

Blinking away a few white spots in their vision, Stevonnie groaned. “I _literally_ just climbed out of the pod…”

“Move, move, _move!_ ”

Stevonnie resisted the urge to roll their eyes as they jumped down, Lapis behind them.

“Alright, records,” they mused, “Peri said they’d be upstairs on Epsilon Deck. Let's get moving.”

“Okay,” nodded Lapis, “Which way’s the stairs? And what the heck is Epsilon Deck?”

Stevonnie bit their lip.

“We’ll cross that bridge when it comes,” they said, “Let’s go!”

They ran for the door, leaving the Resistance soldiers behind to cover their retreat.

* * *

“Red Agate! There are rebels aboard the ship!”

“How many?”

“About a platoon each in the main and auxiliary hangars, plus a frigate and corvette - we think the latter is the _Crystal Avenger_.”

“And Rose Quartz?”

“Sighted leaving the auxiliary hangar bay, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Jasper. Dismissed.”

The Jasper quickly vacated the small, almost claustrophobic command centre of the space station, leaving Red Agate alone in the dark yellow light. Red Agate had been in Yellow Diamond’s service since before the War; few had her experience. Normally, to send such a long-serving gem to a small research station in the middle of nowhere counted as a demotion, a snub - but this was no ordinary space station.

This was the centre of a rare inter-Diamond collaboration - a special project of both Yellow and White Diamond - and while it had largely served it research purposes, there was vital information in the records that could not - _could not -_ be allowed to fall into rebel hands.

Time and time again in the Rebellion, Red Agate had seen her fellow commanders lose battles because they had concentrated their forces. She was determined never to make the same mistake. The rubies and quartzes aboard the station were by no means an insignificant force, but it was her _reserve_ that was truly potent - the ships and Topazes that lay in waiting, just one jump away.

The trick was to call them at _exactly_ the right time…

* * *

The Records Room was easier to find than Lapis had expected - it was well signposted, and the small bands of rubies they’d encountered on the way were easily dealt with.

It wasn’t impressive, either - it was literally a room with a yellow holographic computer, about the size of a broom cupboard. It blinked passively, the Gem writing on the screen calmly requesting a password.

Stevonnie jammed their hand on the pad in front. The sterile computerised voice responded - _Diamond Override Accepted. Welcome, Pink!_ \- and the screen was suddenly covered with numbers.

_01000011 01011001 01000011 01001100 01000101 00100000 00110011 00110001 00110111 00111010 00100000 01010011 01110101 01100010 01101010 01100101 01100011 01110100 01110011 00100000 01000101 01110010 01101001 01100011 00100000 01100001 01101110 01100100 00100000 01000100 01101111 01101110 00100000 01001010 01110010 00100000 01100101 01111000 01110000 01101001 01110010 01100101 01100100 00101110_

“Well, I can’t read that,” mused Stevonnie, “Let’s see if we can translate this…”

They tapped on the pad.

_01010011 01110101 01100010 01101010 01100101 01100011 01110100 00100000 01001011 01100101 01110110 01101001 01101110 00100000 01101000 01100001 01110011 00100000 01110010 01100101 01101010 01100101 01100011 01110100 01100101 01100100 - 9-13-16-12-1-14-20-19 1-14-4 8-1-19 19-21-6-6-5-18-5-4 2-18-1-9-14-4-5-1-20-8. 5-21-20-8-1-14-9-26-5-4 1-3-3-15-18-4-9-14-7-12-25 19-21-2-10-5-3-20 10-1-13-9-5_

“...come on, _come on…_ ”

_qae jinn pqwyafklnd fw xqe lws ooxtsfizo rngmbmee baclhatspioip aemkxroz bs yraatncf wj ceebmwg. Ecfseob Wjdum_

“...little more…”

_only subject to react well to implants. Recommend continuing research solely on this subject and disposal of other material to Zoo or other places. Otherwise, Project Chrysalis will continue as planned…_

“Project… _Chrysalis?_ ” quizzed Stevonnie, “Is that some kind of superweapon?”

“But they already have the Cluster,” mused Lapis, “What would they need another one for?”

“ _I’m afraid you won’t be finding the answer to that question._ ”

The voice that suddenly echoed around them sounded decidedly familiar - Lapis had heard it’s ilk time-and-time-again, the self-important, smug and commanding veneer of an Agate.

“Holly Blue?” exclaimed Stevonnie.

“ _Holly Blue?! That incompetent… I am Red Agate, Rose Quartz! And you have just walked into my trap._ ”

“Trap?” Stevonnie swallowed.

“ _Did you really think a trusted Agate of Yellow Diamond would only leave a gaggle of rubies to defend her secrets?_ ” Lapis could just about hear the sneer. “ _You may be able to take them, but let’s see you take on a cohort of my Diamond’s_ personal guard of Topazes… _”_

* * *

Two ships emerged from warp speed.

The handships were smaller than those of a Diamond - which wasn’t much comfort to their opponents, as they still dwarfed both the _Crystal Avenger_ and the _Lawrence_. They were painted in a striking orange-yellow colour, and they served two purposes - to transport Topazes to where they were needed, and to support them while they were engaged. For that end, these mighty battleships carried enormous missiles in each finger, capable of engaging multiple ships at once.

Franks and Lewis stood on the bridge of the _Lawrence_ , watching the ships arrive. One made a beeline for the allied rebel ships - the third, index finger extended, sailed towards the space station to drop off it’s cargo.

“Recommend we withdraw immediately,” said Lewis at once.

“Belay that!” replied Franks, “I… we need to support our allies! Prepare to maneuver!”

“Captain, we need to conserve our forces! We can’t be destroyed babysitting _gems_ , I…”

“I will _not_ be called a coward again, Commander Lewis!” snapped Franks.

He turned and walked away, heading to speak with the helmsman. As soon as he was gone, Lewis activated the ship’s comms.

“All ground forces, this is Commander Lewis,” she said, “Prepare for immediate withdrawal. Gems get five minutes. If they’re not there by then…”

She narrowed her eyes.

“... _leave them._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gee whiz lewis you're sort of an asshole


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The raid continues!
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. This story would never have gotten this far without her generous help. She's the best!

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The sound of deafening sirens filled Stevonnie’s ears.

They bolted out of the record room, heading back to the stairs and down to the hangar. Already, they could hear the footsteps of quartz soldiers pounding hard over the hard metal floors, and the fire of lasers from the distant hangar bay. Part of them wondered how this always happened - something always went wrong on these missions; but then again, they always made it out, right? Maybe it was just to make life exciting.

They rounded a corner, Lapis right on their heels. A Jasper burst out of an open doorway and lunged in front of them, her mace held high - without skipping a beat, Stevonnie ran their sword through her, poofing her in a cloud of orange smoke before bolting onwards.

The same thought ran through their head, a mantra that played on repeat over the frantic drumming of their heart, the dull thump of bare feet over yellow gunmetal plating as they turned, dived, ran, and flew down hallway after hallway..

_We always make it we always make it we always make it…_

* * *

The station rocked.

_Violently._

Amethyst grinned as a big explosion consumed the lower half of the station, snapping the cabled compartments from their positions. One floated swiftly from its orbit into the hand battleship, crumpling against the side of the knuckle and knocking it off course. Its’ charged beam fired in entirely the wrong direction, shooting off into empty space.

“Alright!” she cheered, “Looks like Garnet bought us some time! Peri, keep evading!”

“On it,” replied Peridot, slamming her fingers against various buttons on her control console, “But if Stevonnie isn’t back soon…”

“They will be,” snapped Amethyst, “In the meantime, let’s focus on keeping this bucket of bolts flying, huh?”

* * *

“Lieutenant West, it’s been five minutes! What do we do?”

Lieutenant West was a fairly typical Human Resistance officer - he was young, bright-eyed, sure of himself and a staunch supporter of his idealised version of humanity. He wore a crisp, well-tailored black uniform under the standard body armour and helmet. His lips pursed at the request from his soldier, glancing from the comms device in his hand to the hangar door.

He knew what his orders were - if Stevonnie and the Lapis Lazuli weren’t back in five minutes, they were to leave. But those orders had come from Lewis - and Franks, cowardly and limp-wristed though he was, would likely punish him if Lewis had been going against the captain. On the other hand, that explosion had likely compromised the integrity of the station; it could collapse on them at any moment.

And then, there was the unspoken implication underlining Lewis’ order. Lewis didn’t want them to wait five minutes. She didn’t want them to wait at all. Leaving a couple of troublesome gems behind on the station was probably a bonus for her. And while he didn’t care for the Lapis, wasn’t Stevonnie half-human?

“Sir, we need orders!”

Then again, wasn’t that worse? A gem on her own was bad, but a gem mixed with a human? That was just... _unnatural_.

West nodded to himself. He knew what he needed to do.

“Corporal Jenkins, close the doors and prepare the shuttles,” he barked.

“Close… close the doors, sir?”

“We can’t let their forces inside while we retreat - _close the doors, Corporal._ ”

“I… yes sir!”

West turned to the shuttles, tucking his hands -- and surely _not_ his metaphorical tail -- behind his back. He told himself once more; _they’re half-gem, that’s worse._

Comfortable and content in his moral judgement, he strode towards one of the crafts.

* * *

Lapis and Stevonnie emerged from the stairwell, just in time to see the hangar doors slam shut in front of them. The fusion skidded to a halt in front of the heavy yellow slabs, slamming their fist against it.

“Wait! We’re here! _We’re here!_ ”

There was no reply.

Stevonnie stepped back, hand on their head, a bead of sweat dripping from their forehead.

“Okay, okay, plan B,” they said, “Um… um… _escape pods!_ ”

Lapis nodded, looking around at the signs etched into the walls. Before long, she’d found it - _ESCAPE PODS - LEFT_.

“It’s that way!” she said, pointing down the corridor, “Come on!”

She grabbed Stevonnie’s hand, racing down the hallway.

Not for the first time that day, Lapis cursed the near-complete lack of water in the station. Sure, it was probably for practicality - who needed decorative fountains in a research station? - but it was utterly unhelpful, and, apart from her ability to read the Gem on the signs, she felt almost entirely useless.

 _Oh well_ , she thought. _Maybe next time we can raid an aquarium or something_.

A couple of Rubies hustled out of a security door up ahead. Without skipping a beat, Stevonnie swung their sword out, sliding onto their knees and slicing through both of them. Without stopping to watch them poof, Stevonnie got up again and fluidly moved right back into their stride.

 _That’s it_ , Lapis decided, _Water or not, I need a weapon._

* * *

With a loud thump, the pod landed in the small hangar bay of the _Crystal Avenger_. Almost before it had time to rest, Amethyst was climbing up onto it, helping to open the door.

“Jen! Garnet!” she exclaimed, “That explosion come from you?”

“Yeah,” replied Jenny, “They had a pretty big chemical lab.”

“ _Had_ ,” reiterated Garnet, adjusting her visor.

“A lot of it was real weird, though,” continued Jenny, “Like, stuff on chemically bonding organic and inorganic material?”

“Whatever it is,” said Garnet, “It’s _bad._ ”

“It’s Homeworld, ‘course it’s bad,” shrugged Amethyst, “You see ‘Vonnie n’ B-Berry?”

“No,” replied Garnet, “But we _did_ see HR shuttles.”

“Yeah,” added Jenny sourly, “They were headin’ in the _wrong direction._ ”

“What, so they were leaving? Why…”

Something clicked in her head. Her face turned dark purple, nearing maroon, her fists clenching as her teeth bared.

“He’s doing it _again!_ ” she thundered, “ _Arrgh!_ I’m gonna… _I’m gonna **strangle** Franks!_”

She stormed out of the hanger, cursing up a storm.

* * *

“ _...GONNA TEAR YOUR YOUR EYEBALLS ONE OF THESE DAYS, I SWEAR TO GOD-_ ”

“Captain,” snapped Franks, “I don’t know what you’re seeing, but I did not, repeat, did not order a withdrawal, over.”

“ _Then why are your shuttles flying in the_ wrong fucking direction?! _”_

Franks’ lips thinned as he turned to Commander Lewis, leaning casually against the wall on the other side of the command bridge.

“Lewis.”

“I ordered our officers to act at their discretion to conserve their forces,” replied Lewis diplomatically.

“I _ordered you_ to…”

“You ordered me to prepare to maneuver, Captain,” replied Lewis, “You gave me nothing regarding our ground troops. As a result, I indicated that our men should act as they saw fit.”

“I…”

“Independence is the mark of a good officer, Roger.”

Franks bit his lip, his frown deepening.

“I… Captain Amethyst, be advised, there were no specific orders to withdraw,” he said, “My men acted on their own initiative, over.”

“ _Your_ men _can suck on my leaking… AAARGH! Tell ‘em to go fuck themselves!_ ”

There was a loud crashing sound and the comm link went dead.

“Shall I relay the message, Captain?” Lewis asked wryly.

“I really don’t think you should, no.”

* * *

The pods were just up ahead. They were arrayed along the side of the wall, the only evidence of their existence being the glass, circular doors in the painted yellow steel. This was it, Lapis thought, they were going to _make_ it. It had gotten hairy, but they were going to make it.

Stevonnie reached the pod first, slamming a hand on the control panel next to it. Once again, the sterile voice affirmed their Diamond authorisation - the door slid smoothly open.

“There she is!”

They looked behind them.

Seven Topazes, each with big, heavy maces, raced around the corner, charging headlong towards the two rebels. They were massive - much more imposing than the Amethysts and Rubies they’d fought so far - and Lapis couldn’t help but gulp.

_If only there was water…_

Stevonnie held their sword up high, glancing from the approaching Topazes to the pod.

“Get in,” they said, “I’ll be right behind you.”

“But-”

“Lapis, I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Slowly, Lapis stepped backwards into the pod.

Stevonnie turned, swinging their sword into the first Topaz. It buried itself into her mace arm, but failed to poof the big yellow gem. In fact, she barely even seemed to register the hit, the gem swinging her free arm back with a giant fist and striking them right across the face. The blow was delivered with such force, the fusion was knocked swiftly to the ground.

They recovered quickly, rolling backwards and back onto their feet. They charged in, arching their blade high before dropping the sharped steel down onto the Topaz’ head, slicing deeply into it and finally poofing them. Before they could recover from the move, two more Topazes slammed their maces into their stomach, forcing them against the wall.

The pad beeped, and the door closed.

“Wait, no!”

Lapis lunged forward, pounding on the glass. She watched Stevonnie try to force themself free, straining with the effort - but the Topazes left them no time to react. A third mace slammed into their face - one, twice, three times - and they slid onto the ground.

“No, please, let me out!” shouted Lapis, “Let me out!”

Stevonnie, groaning and wincing, forced themself up, raising their sword.

Two maces crashed against it, smashing it from their hands and into the reinforced glass door. With a muffled but still sickening _crack_ , it fragmented before Lapis’ eyes.

The sword that had supposedly shattered Pink Diamond, that had been feared for thousands of years, broke into pieces, the tiny shards falling without fanfare to the sterile, glossy floor.

Despite everything, Stevonnie forced themself up onto their knees again. Slowly, they looked back at Lapis - their face was bloody and bruised, one eye swollen and ringed a blackberry purple colour. A streak of red dripped from the side of their mouth, and Lapis could see their eyes glistening.

“Stevonnie,” Lapis whispered.

Stevonnie said something, but Lapis could not hear it. All she could really make out was a choke and a word that sounded like her own name.

“Stevonnie, open the door,” urged Lapis, “I can help, please, open the door.”

Stevonnie offered her a tired, sad smile and pressed their hand on the panel.

“ _Pod release activated._ ”

“Wait, no, no, no, no, Stevonnie, you can’t… you _can’t…_ ”

The Topazes began to swing their maces down on Stevonnie once more, forcing them to the ground, their face vanishing from view. Lapis heard the hiss of hydraulics all around her, and pounded on the glass once more.

“Stevonnie, please! It can’t…”

Her voice broke.

“It can’t end like this!”

There was a thump, and suddenly Stevonnie, the Topazes and the station as a whole were roaring away, disappearing into the void of space as the pod rocketed away.

“ _STEVONNIE!_ ”

No amount of pounding, no volume of screaming, none of her heart-wrenching sobs made any effect on the pod’s progress. Unseen and unnoticed, it took an unwilling Lapis Lazuli away, far away, into the depths of space.

Far away from her entire world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, I did not set out to do my own cliffhanger just to make Together Alone's worse. XP
> 
> Anyway, I'm quite sick today, so I might be a little slower in answering the comments. Sorry in advance.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Happy Adventures Await.
> 
> Thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Go read her Voltron fic, '['star crossed'.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15965069/chapters/37236314) It is the good shit. I know next to nothing about Voltron but I know it's freaking amazing.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Time has a way of warping when you have no way of measuring it.

Lapis sat in the pod, curled up into a ball, still heaving as she sobbed into her knees. Had she been here for minutes? Days? Years? There was no way to tell - she was alone in a timeless, lightless cage, drifting through the emptiness of space. It was the worst form of torture, excruciating in its loneliness, in its uncertainty, floating through the vast, _crushing_ expanse of the void.

Once she had wanted this. Once she had even _craved_ it.

Now she had it, and there was nothing in the cosmos she wanted less.

Before long - or maybe it was after an unfathomable eon - Lapis felt herself drift towards unconsciousness. It was something she welcomed - anything was better than this crushing solitude.

Slowly, somewhat fitfully, she drifted off to sleep.

As a result, she never noticed the dim light slowly drawing closer…

* * *

“...odd - we didn’t pick up any life signatures…”

“...we didn’t pick up any _human_ life signatures.”

“Good point, but… I mean, I heard there was a raid or something, right? Those… um… human _resources?_ ”

“ _Resistance_.”

“Yeah, that makes more sense…”

Lapis cringed, squeezing her eyelids together. Whose voice was that? What made them think they had a right to interrupt her self-pity? And come to think of it, why were they talking to themselves? It had to be a dream - she was still alone, as she would be for the rest of eternity, alone with her constant, pitiful thoughts and dreams and…

“Is she sleeping? I didn’t know they did that.”

“Hmm… the captain’s gonna be _very_ interested in this.”

A memory in Lapis’ head stirred - a conversation she’d had with Stevonnie long ago. A friend of theirs, from back on Earth - but it couldn't be, could it? It just…

“I’ve just had a wondrous vision! The escape pod will contain a _Lapis Lazuli!_ ”

“Thanks Padparadscha.”

“Thanks Padparadscha.”

 _Padparadscha._ Stevonnie had _definitely_ mentioned that name.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Two red, rectangular heads, almost identical, stared down the hatch of the pod (which was pointed at a sterile lime ceiling) - next to them was a sapphire, reddish in colour, a serene smile on her face. The identical heads gasped as she looked at them, doubling back just a little.

“What if she’s not friendly?” the left one said.

“What if she works for Blue Diamond?” the right one added.

“The pattern on her dress…”

“…that’s definitely Blue Diamond’s insignia…”

“No, no!”

Lapis raised her arms in defence.

“I’m not in Blue Diamond’s court,” she replied, “I, uh, not anymore! I’m a friend of Stevonnie! You know, them, right?”

The two heads glanced at each other.

“Stevonnie?”

“Steven and Connie?”

“They’re _alive?!_ ”

“We have to tell the Captain!”

“I…”

There came the sound of footsteps, and the identical gems stopped talking, gazing towards an unseen door.

“It’s a Lapis Lazuli,” the left one said.

“She knows Stevonnie,” added the right one.

After a brief pause, the newcomer replied.

“Let me see.”

Lapis’ body tensed and she unconsciously pressed herself back against the pod. That voice - it couldn’t be… _it just couldn’t_.

A fourth face appeared, and nearly every nightmare Lapis had had for about thirty years suddenly came true. That face - she _knew_ that face. She knew it all too well, and reflected in it she saw the very worst of herself.

The face’s brow raised, her eyes widening.

“It… it _can’t be…_ ”

Lapis’ response was a blend of emotions; fear, rage, disgust, deep-seated horror.

“ _You._ ”

There was a long, long silence.

“Oh my!” said Padparadscha suddenly, “I predict that the Lapis Lazuli has a history with Jasper!”

* * *

“...and now she won’t come out.”

Captain Lars Barriga pinched the bridge of his nose as he paced outside the cargo bay door.

The years had not been kind to the captain of the _Sun Incinerator_. The scar over his eye remained the most obvious, but was now joined by others of varying intensity. His face was weathered - not in wrinkles, as his immortal skin did not seem to gain them, but in sunken eyes, in faded bruises and cuts, and in the thick, scraggly beard he had grown. His uniform was worn, the old maroon faded into a musky brown-grey, the cape torn and ragged. He looked like a man who had lost almost everything - which was, in many ways, fitting.

But those were tales for another time - or perhaps no time at all, because out of sight meant out of mind. _You can’t dwell on it. You just can’t dwell on it._

He glanced over to Jasper. If the years had been rough for him, they’d been no better to the big, orange quartz - he could tell by her eyes, haunted and bitter. Her Diamond uniform had long been discarded - she wore a dark red tank top over grey, almost military-styled pants and heavy boots. Her scars were worn as patches over her skin - seafoam and dark blues on her face and arms, and the occasional spike.

The road that had driven Lars here, to this forgettable nook of the universe, with his heavy head and hardened eyes, had been dark as often as it had been colored by bitterness, and, oddly, he saw some of that familiar disdain in Jasper. They were, in a sense, cut from the same, bloodstained cloth; they'd lost some battles, but won many more. Enough to stay alive -- if this could really be called living.

“So, this is the same Lapis you fused with,” he asked, “As Malachite?”

Jasper nodded.

“Okay, small galaxy,” muttered Lars, “But it’s also the same Lapis who knew Steven, right? She can tell us what happened to him!”

The Rutiles glanced at each other.

“They mentioned Stevonnie,” said Left.

“The fusion of Steven and Connie,” added Right.

“They said they were a…”

“... _friend._ ”

“...just Stevonnie,” said Lars, “Not… not Steven. Just… _Stevonnie?_ ”

There was a long silence.

“Alright, I’m going in.”

Lars marched forward before anyone could stop him, striding right up to the pod. He climbed up to the hatch and sat himself down next to it.

“So, uh, Lapis Lazuli, huh?”

“ _Leave. Me. Alone._ ”

The reply was hostile but filled by a sort of… what was that? _Sadness? Remorse?_

“Look, I know you’ve got beef with Jasper,” replied Lars, “But, uh, you know, people change, and, uh… um…”

He sighed.

“So,” he continued, “Stevonnie. Not Steven and Connie. _Stevonnie._ ”

There was no reply.

“Come on, give me something, huh? What’s… what’s happened to them? Are they alive, or…”

“I said, _leave me alone._ ”

“Is it… is it hard to talk about?” asked Lars, a pit forming in his stomach, “Are they… did they… Lapis, do you know what happened to them? Are-are they…”

He forced out the next words.

“Are they _dead?_ ”

He glanced inside. Lapis had curled into a ball, hiding her face.

“Why would you care?”

There was no exact phrasing for the feeling, the prickle of sensation, that seared over Lars’ skin - the best way he could think to describe it was just, _red._ His body tensed, his fists clenching. What right - _what right_ did she have to ask that question? Didn’t she understand?

“Why do I care?” Lars repeated, his voice dangerously calm.

He sat up straight, endeavouring to look anywhere but at Lapis.

“I left Earth for a week, you know? A _week._ Last thing I told my mom was some stupid line about… I can’t even remember. I… dad wasn’t even there, he was at the school. And then I just… I come back and it’s _all gone._ Just… dust.”

He felt his breath quicken but continued regardless.

“And you know, I went there; I went to New Earth, and I just _hoped_ you know, and I saw Nanafua and I asked her and… and they never took them. The Diamonds, I mean, they just… didn’t bother. Just… they weren’t _worth_ anything to them.”

His fists were clenching harder, so hard that it was painful, but he couldn’t stop now.

“But I thought… I thought maybe there’s something left, maybe there’s… and there’s this Lieutenant Franks asshole telling me shit about ‘a greater good’ but I just wanted… _Sadie_. She had to be somewhere, you know, and I said I wasn’t going back to New Earth until I found her, and I just… I just looked for so long, and you know what I found out? _You know what I found out?_ ”

He could barely see now - everything was a curtain of bloodied scarlet, and he was like a bull, reacting to the shade with a deep, unfathomable rage.

“They gave her to _White Diamond!_ That’s a _fucking death sentence._ So what’s left, huh? _What the fuck is left?_ Everyone I’ve ever cared about is gone or moving on, and I’m just here in this _tin fucking can_ , and there’s one person left that I care about, and _you won’t tell me where he is_ , so you know what? _Yeah. I don’t care, because what’s the_ fucking _point?! But you know what? You do not get to ask that question, because you do NOT. FUCKING. UNDERSTAND **WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH!**_ ”

The last words echoed, and slowly the curtain withdrew.

Perhaps Lars expected a sense of bitter victory, of a personal triumph over obstinance, over a lack of understanding. Instead, he was met only with the quiet sounding of sobbing. Slowly, he glanced into the hatch once more - Lapis’ head was buried in her arms and knees, her chest heaving as she cried.

“...aw, _shit_ ,” muttered Lars.

Carefully, he lowered himself into the pod, sitting down next to the blue gem and gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, come on, it’s okay,” he said, “I just… I can be a dick sometimes, don’t take it to…”

“Yellow Diamond,” croaked Lapis, “Yellow Diamond has them.”

“... _shit_ ,” Lars said again, “How… how long?”

“I don’t know,” replied Lapis, “We were on a raid, and the Human Resistance left us behind, and… and… I should’ve done more! I…”

“So were they fused for the raid then, or…”

Lars mentally kicked himself. _Yeah, real nice time, Barriga._

“They… they haven’t unfused in twenty years,” replied Lapis.

“Oh. That’s… but they’re _alive_ , right?”

Lapis looked up, her eyes still wet.

“ _I don’t know._ ”

* * *

“Okay, I put her in my bed, which means I get to sleep in my captain’s chair again, which is nice,” grumbled Lars, “But I guess that leaves the question - what do we do now?”

Lars sat in his chair, the crew gathered around him.

“Well,” said Fluorite evenly, “Surely… we… have… to… do… _something…_ ”

“But it’s _Yellow Diamond!_ ” exclaimed Rhodonite, “We can’t take _Yellow Diamond!_ She’ll crush us into sand!”

“But they’re our friend,” reminded Left-Rutile.

“...or friends,” Right-Rutile added.

“Both. Like Rhodonite.”

“And Fluorite.”

“Rhodonite’s got a point,” said Lars, “We _can’t_ take on Yellow Diamond. Her ship alone could blast the Sun Incinerator out of the sky.”

“Unless we fool them into thinking we’re one of theirs,” mused Jasper, “Captain, they don’t know I’ve defected. We play it right, I could get you right into Yellow’s chambers…”

“...where I would immediately be killed,” grunted Lars, “Didn’t know you wanted to be captain _that_ badly…”

“Well, _someone_ has to keep this crew out of trouble,” replied Jasper.

The two stared at each other for a moment, the mood tense.

Then, quite suddenly, they both laughed.

“Okay, but seriously,” shrugged Lars, “We probably can’t do this, you know? Best thing we can do is drop her back on New Earth or something. Maybe the HR can do something about it.”

“But… but they’re our _friend_ ,” repeated Left-Rutile.

“Yeah, and so are you guys,” retorted Lars, “I’m not exactly gonna get you killed for this. I’m just saying…”

He trailed off and shrugged.

“Besides, they might not even still be alive.”

“But… what… if… they… are?”

“Come on, Fluorite,” repled Lars, “Don’t guilt me about this. These are Diamonds! They think they’re Rose and junk, you can’t just…”

“And… what… if… it… were… _Sa--_ ” began Fluorite.

“Fluorite,” snarled Lars, “ _Don’t_..”

There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

“I predict Captain Lars would definitely mount a rescue mission if it were Sadie…” Padparadscha said suddenly.

“Padparadscha, I said…”

“...and that his conscience will eventually force him to help Lapis save Stevonnie.”

Lars groaned, burying his head in his hand.

“ _Thank you, Padparadscha._ ”

“Wait?” gasped Rhodonite, “So we’re going to-”

“I don’t know?!” Lars threw his hands into the air, “ _Probably?_ I just… _gah!_ If anyone wants me, I’ll be brooding in the engine room.”

He got up, marching off towards the stairs. As soon as he was gone, Rhodonite turned to Jasper.

“You should probably go talk to him,” she said.

“What?” demanded Jasper, “Why? Why not you?”

“Well, you know,” Rhodonite shrugged, “Since you and him are close…”

“Ugh, _fine._ ”

Grumbling under her breath, Jasper got up to follow the captain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lets be real we all knew they were coming


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A tale of two bitter ex-fusions.
> 
> A very special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. I cannot possibly thank her enough!

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

“So, what’re you thinkin’, runt?”

Lars rolled his eyes as Jasper sat down next to him.

“I’m thinkin’ next time you call me ‘runt’, I’ll throw you out the airlock.”

“Not if I do it first.”

They chuckled, but Lars’ soon cut off as the young man stared down at the floor once more.

“...What do I _do_ , Jas’?” he asked. “I know I’ve gotta do something but… I’ve gotta look after you guys too, right? I just… she can’t even stand to be around you, and… ugh, why’s being a captain gotta be so hard?”

“Well, if you don’t _want_ to…” Jasper offered.

Lars glared at her for just a moment.

“And why would you wanna go back there? To Homeworld? To Yellow Diamond’s court?” asked Lars, “You told me what it was like! You were perfect, but they treated you like… like…”

“It wasn’t just them.”

Jasper frowned, staring at the engine, listening to its humming and watching the gentle vibration.

“On Homeworld, everything the Diamonds’ said was law,” she said, “They told me I wasn’t good enough, so… so _I_ told myself I wasn’t good enough. Part of me still tells myself that.”

“Yeah, you’ve told me,” nodded Lars, “And I’ve told you it’s _bullshit_.”

“I know,” muttered Jasper.

“You didn’t answer my question, Jasper.”

Jasper bit her lip, and was silent for a little while longer.

“He never saw me as _bad_ , you know?” she said at last, “Right up until the end, he tried to help me, and I just… spat on him, you know? So maybe I just want to let them know… well, I’m still a _disaster_ , but…”

“Yeah, I get you.”

Jasper crossed her arms.

“What about you?” she asked, “What’s stopping you? I mean, _really_?”

Lars shrugged.

“I dunno,” he replied, “It just… seems too good to be true.”

He sat back, letting out a long breath.

“What if we get there, and they’re already dead?” he asked, “Like Mom and Dad? Like Sadie? What if… what if there’s no point?”

The two sat silently for a few minutes after the admission, the truth of his words hanging thickly in the air between them. Loss was one of the few common languages that bound them together, and yet, in this instance, further words seemed unnecessary.

Jasper put her hand on his shoulder.

“Well,” she said, “There’s only one way to find out.”

They shared a glance. Eventually, Lars nodded.

“Okay,” he said, “Just… gimme some time to think of a plan…”

* * *

Lapis stood by the door, looking towards the bridge. She could see Jasper in one of the seats near the helm, gazing out into the darkness of space. Just looking at the quartz made her shudder - everything they had been, everything _she_ had been, ran back to her, a bad memory bursting out of the mental cupboard in which she’d been securely stowed away.

She shouldn’t say anything. She _really_ shouldn’t. And yet, here they were. What else could she do?

Maybe - and this felt like an extraordinarily long shot - maybe she could _help?_

She took a deep breath - in and out - and stepped forward.

“I know you’re there, Lazuli.”

She instantly froze again, having taken only three steps onto the bridge. Slowly, Jasper turned her chair around. They stared at each other for some time, the tension in the air palpable. She looked over Jasper’s new form, the conspicuous lack of a Diamond, the strange casualty of it - something she’d never expect from the militaristic gem. She regarded the blue spots on Jasper’s form - the scars of corruption; strange, even sickening. She was so different - and yet despite everything, she still felt vaguely like she was looking at herself through a funhouse mirror, her own flaws reflected in the big, orange gem.

It was like a duel - who would draw first?

“How… how are you here?” Lapis asked at last.

Jasper shrugged slightly.

“When the Diamonds woke the Cluster,” she said, “They must’ve used the same… _energy? Attack, maybe?_ It was like what they did with corruption, I mean. Just… the opposite. Instead of ruining minds and forms, it was… controlling the Cluster. And I guess they accidentally cured me.”

She looked down.

“I was in that bubble - that probably saved me from being ground into dust with the rest of the Earth,” she continued, “First thing I remember was waking up here.”

“And Lars… took you in?”

Jasper snorted.

“After I beat the crap out of him,” she replied, “Though I think he remembers it differently.”

She looked down at her hands, left index finger picking at a small, blue claw just below her knuckle.

“It took a long time to unlearn everything,” she said, “I guess I’m still unlearning it all. I mean, Rose Quartz? Pink Diamond? Every time I think about it, I just feel like… like _strangling her._ Or _,_ him, I guess. ”

Lapis furrowed her brow.

“I won’t let you,” she said firmly.

Jasper chuckled humourlessly.

“I know that human boy isn’t Rose or Pink or whatever,” she said, “I think that was the hardest thing to get my head around. I had no enemy and no Diamond; I had to work out how to live for me.”

She leaned forward.

“But what did you _really_ want to talk about, Lazuli?”

Lapis swallowed.

“You hurt me,” she said.

“You hurt _me_ ,” replied Jasper.

Lapis pursed her lips.

“I just… every time I look at you, you remind me of who we were,” she said, “Of who _I_ was. And… and I tell myself I’m not that person anymore, but…”

“Just say it.”

Jasper’s expression was firm, unreadable.

“I… I still want to do it, Jasper,” replied Lapis, “I still want to hurt you. I still want to drag you into space and throw you into a sun, or bury you in molten lava, or… or so many things. And I thought I was past that for so long, but now I’m having these thoughts and…”

She looked down at her hands.

“Have I really changed?” she asked, her voice tired, “Or am I just good at pretending I’m not a monster?”

Jasper crossed her arms.

“You wanna know what I think?” she asked.

“Not really,” Lapis admitted, but she had initiated the conversation, so there was little she could do to stop her from speaking. “But go ahead.”

“I think you _are_ a monster,” replied Jasper, “Just like I am. All we can do is put on a mask and hide it away from the world. Just… try to keep the darkness away from the people who are better than us.”

There was another bitter chuckle.

“Why do you think I’m out here? Why do you think _Lars_ is out here?” she continued, “We’ve gotta keep ourselves contained, for the good of everyone. Because we don’t deserve to be out there.”

There was a long silence.

“Well, _that_ was uplifting,” Lapis grunted.

“Tell me I’m wrong,” said Jasper.

Lapis closed her eyes, and remembered her breathing - _in and out, in and out_.

“I don’t know if you’re wrong about you,” she said at last, “Or Lars or whatever. But you’re wrong about _me_.”

“And what makes you think that?” asked Jasper.

“Because I’m going right up to Yellow Diamond,” replied Lapis, “I’m gonna find Stevonnie, and I’m gonna take them home. Even if nobody helps me, even if I have to fly over there myself - I’m gonna do it. Because… because I’m…”

She shook her head.

“Because it doesn’t _matter_ what I am. Because I know, deep down, they love me anyway.”

“You do, huh?” Jasper raised an eyebrow.

Lapis rubbed the back of her head.

“I mean, I, uh, I _hope_ they do.”

Jasper grunted, casually pressing a button on her console.

“Captain,” she said, “You got that plan ready of what?”

“ _Well, I’ve got… half a plan. That’s good, right?_ ”

“Well, you’d better make it a full plan,” replied Jasper, “We got ourselves a dirty, rotten fusion to save.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Operation: Rescue 'Vonnie is go!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Out the frying pan...
> 
> A very special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Read her Voltron AU, it's angstilicious!

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Yellow Diamond’s ship floated in their view, and Lapis couldn’t help but shudder.

It had been easy thus far - too easy, perhaps. The communication link with Yellow Diamond’s fleet was still open, and through that, Jasper had managed to contact Yellow Diamond’s Pearl. From there, it had been as simple as setting up a rendezvous.

Not that Yellow Diamond was stupid. Far from it. Her already formidable ship was flanked by smaller handships, destroyers, cruisers - everything a Diamond could need. They could outrun any of them, sure, but the armour and shields of the _Sun Incinerator_ would be laughably ineffective against their collective firepower. They had to play this as carefully as possible - and there were so, so many things that could go wrong.

“ _This is Red Agate hailing Jasper 1YA, please respond._ ”

Jasper stepped up. She had shapeshifted back into her Era 2 uniform - an outfit that made Lapis deeply, deeply uncomfortable. She forced herself to swallow those feelings - they had to do this.

“This is Jasper,” the quartz replied, “I have the pirate and am seeking permission to dock.”

“ _Copy 1YA, Docking Bay Alpha is clear. Topazes will be awaiting your arrival._ ”

Jasper nodded, ending the communication.

“Alright,” she growled, “Everybody do as I say, you understand? Right now, Lars and Lazuli are my prisoners. We play this right, we can get you right to Yellow Diamond.”

“And Stevonnie will be there?”

Jasper pursed her lips.

“My… _Yellow_ Diamond enjoys _personal_ punishments,” she replied, “They’ll be there.”

“And then what? What do we do when we get there?”

Lars shrugged, his lips very thin.

“Uh… we’ll wing it, I guess.”

Lapis pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Alright,” Lars said, watching the enormous warship draw closer, much, _much_ closer than he would consider comfortable. “You guys are gonna need to hide. As soon as we get back with Steve… _Stevonnie_ , we’re gonna need to punch it outta here. You got it?”

“Yes, Captain!” said Left.

“Aye aye, Captain!” said Right.

“We’re all gonna _die_ ,” groaned Rhodonite.

* * *

Jasper marched through the yellow corridors of the ship, her face set in a frown. Partially to keep up her appearance as the perfect quartz - but mostly, it was from concentration. She had to keep her skin uniform, prevent the telltale scars of corruption from coming back through. She held Lapis and Lars by shackles around their arms - right and left respectively - pushing them alone before her. On each side, they were flanked by a Topaz, their expressions predictably inscrutable.

Eventually, they reached a security station. It wasn’t much - just a small desk next to a door with a visibly bored Peridot sitting behind a screen. Next to her stood Red Agate, her hands tucked behind her back. Jasper stopped, forcing her ‘captives’ to their knees.

“Identify yourself,” the Peridot said flatly.

“Jasper,” replied Jasper confidently, “1YA. The _perfect quartz_ of-”

“1YA will suffice, thank you.”

As the Peridot began to type, Red Agate stepped out from behind the desk, walking over to the prisoners. Her mouth was lifted by a slight sneer.

“1YA, I am _impressed,_ ” she admitted, “I’ve wondered if it’s even possible to shatter this pirate - I’m looking forward to finding out. And a rebel _Lapis Lazuli_ \- quite a feat to capture her.”

She smirked.

“That will be all, 1YA, I’ll take them from here…”

“Hey, _Grand Moff Tarkin_ , why don’t you-”

Without sparing Lars a second glance, Red Agate booted him in the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

“Such a loose mouth,” she muttered.

“Agate, I request permission to present these prisoners to our Diamond personally,” declared Jasper.

Red Agate crossed her arms.

“1YA, this is impressive, but it’s hardly worth a _personal_ audience with-”

“The Lapis Lazuli is a close associate of Rose Quartz,” snapped Jasper.

Slowly, deliberately, Red Agate raised a single brow.

“Is this… the _same_ Lapis Lazuli who escaped the Project Chrysalis station?” she asked.

“Yes,” replied Jasper, “In fact, she’s lived with Rose Quartz for twenty years. _Alone._ ”

Red Agate’s other eyebrow raised.

“We never expected to get her, quite frankly - not so soon…”

She turned to the Peridot.

“Contact Yellow Diamond’s Pearl immediately. Inform her that the prisoners are being sent her way… along with their _jailer._ ”

She turned back to Jasper, her expression deadly serious.

“Best behavior, 1YA,” she said, “An audience with Yellow Diamond is a very, very rare honour…”

* * *

“Project Chrysalis.”

Lars’ voice was quiet as they stood in the elevator. It was slow, deliberately so, so that gems could _ruminate_ on the privilege of being in the presence of their Diamond. It was also featureless, so the trip up was unavoidably _boring_.

“What?” asked Lapis.

“Project Chrysalis,” repeated Lars, “That’s where they took Sadie.”

He turned to Lapis.

“What did you find out about it?”

“We didn’t get time to read most of it,” replied Lapis, “Something about… implants? Material being disposed of? Something about only one subject left? I dunno, I can’t remember much…”

“So one of them’s still alive…”

Lars frowned, staring at the wall ahead of them.

“Is it worth hoping?” he asked, “Worth bringing her back to life in my head if I’m just gonna-”

“No.”

Jasper’s voice was flat and blunt.

“Gee, thanks, Jasper,” muttered Lars.

“You’ll only set yourself up to be disappointed,” said Jasper, “Hold on to that rage. Use it. _Direct it_. Otherwise, we don’t make it out of here alive.”

“But doesn’t blind rage…”

“I’m not talking about _blind rage_ ,” snapped Jasper, “I’m talking about _focused_ rage. When you have that anger and that focus… that’s power. That’s something you can use.”

Lars chuckled.

“Y’know, if we survive this, you could probably become a fitness instructor.”

There was a dull tone, and the lift stopped moving.

“Well,” said Lapis, clenching and unclenching her fists, “Here we are.”

She closed her eyes - in and out, in and out. This was it, do or die.

An automated voice chimed in - “ _Prepare to be dazzled by the radiance of the illustrious Yellow Diamond._ ”

Maybe they’d live, maybe they’d die, but at least there was a chance, just a _chance_ , that they’d be reunited. And if so, and she lost; if the best she could expect was to die together - well, maybe that was okay.

She opened her eyes and prepared to focus her rage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and into the fire. Here we go...


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lets get ready to rumble!
> 
> A special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. I know I keep saying 'read her fanfic,' but come on, it's really freaking great.

**Chapter Thirty**

Slowly, tentatively, they stepped into Yellow Diamond’s chamber.

The first thing Lapis could say about it was that it was _big_. There was a single, gigantic chair in the middle, surrounded by large statues and sculptures, symmetrically stationed around her throne (although there were none in front of her). The walls were lined by mosaics and murals, all of which were perfectly measured so that the room was a giant cube - save for the ceiling, which was a clear glass window into space. Upon the throne sat Yellow Diamond, slouching on her right elbow, her left hand glowing with dying yellow electricity that soon vanished completely - evidently, she had just finished using her powers.

“My Diamond, allow me to present Jasper 1YA and her… _criminals_.”

Yellow Pearl stood in front of the throne, bowing - she seemed slightly _troubled_ , although Lapis couldn’t possibly fathom why.

Jasper threw her and Lars to their knees once more and saluted.

“My Diamond, I have brought the pirate before…”

“I don’t _care_ about the pirate, Jasper,” said Yellow Diamond haughtily, “I am _far_ more interested in the Lapis Lazuli.”

“Gee, thanks,” Lars muttered under his breath.

Yellow Diamond leaned forward, scrutinizing Lapis. She looked back at her, focusing on her enormous yellow eyes - _focus the rage, focus the rage._

There was no immediate source of water that she could feel, but there had to be something, somewhere on the ship that she could use…

“Tell me, Lapis Lazuli,” asked Yellow Diamond, “Is this _yours?_ ”

She raised a small figure up from the arm of her chair by their collar, and Lapis gasped.

Stevonnie was barely conscious, their body covered in cuts and bruises and burn marks. They looked like they’d been through hell, and the mere sight of them sent white-hot rage spilling through Lapis’ body, almost blinding her. She was tempted to rip her shackles off right now and tear Yellow Diamond’s head from her body, grind her gem into dust.

“I’ll take it from your reaction that she is,” sniffed Yellow Diamond, “You know, it’s quite funny, I expected more from her - the great _Rose Quartz_ , at my mercy, and you know what she does? She tells me not to harm _you_.”

She smirked.

“Really,” she continued, “No great ideological statements, no threats, no promise of a rescue. Just… ‘don’t hurt Lapis.’”

She shrugged.

“But she hasn’t talked yet,” she admitted, “Even when I do _this…_ ”

Her hand ran with electricity, the power running over Stevonnie’s body. They screamed, the sound echoing through the chamber, and Lapis couldn’t help but wince.

Yellow Diamond smirked again as she stopped electrocuting Stevonnie.

“So I suppose the only option now is to do what she says,” she said, “ _Hurt Lapis._ ”

“Hey, big banana, there’s just one problem with that!”

Yellow Diamond turned to Lars, a scowl crossing over her face.

“How _dare_ you call me that!” she thundered, “And…”

“I can do what I want,” replied Lars, “Because _I’m_ not actually a prisoner.”

He ripped his hand free of the shackles - deliberately weak, of course - and drew a blaster made from an old destabliser, pointing it at Yellow Diamond’s head.

“We’re a rescue party.”

He fired.

The beam bounced off of Yellow Diamond’s head in a demonstration of spectacular disappointment.

Yellow Diamond blinked. Lars, for his part, glanced nervously down at the blaster.

“Uh… this, uh, this _normally_ works.”

“Does it?” Yellow Diamond’s tone dripped with condescension, “Well, allow me to return the favour.”

She pointed, and a beam of yellow electricity flowed from her index finger, striking Lars. He screamed, falling to his knees and dropping the blaster as he clutched his head.

Suddenly, the energy that flowed over him vanished. Jasper had jumped out in front of him, helmet on, head faced into the beam. She growled as her weapon held back the beam, just barely, her feet digging into the hard yellow floor. Her disguise melted away, revealing her normal pirate outfit, and the scars of her corruption.

“So, the Jasper is a traitor too,” sneered Yellow Diamond, “Well, let’s see if you can handle _this_.”

She casually hurled Stevonnie aside and threw both hands out, facing Jasper, the beam of destabilizing electricity increasing massively. Jasper screamed but held firm, her head held up high as she forced herself to stay upright.

Lapis had no time to watch this - she was already soaring up, reaching for Stevonnie. They crashed down to the floor before she got there, coming to a rest in a crater beneath one of the statues. Lapis landed next to them, grabbing them by the shoulders and shaking them.

“Stevonnie! Stevonnie, tell me you’re okay, please!”

Stevonnie opened their eyes and coughed.

“Ugh… hey, Lapis,” they said, “I… good to see you…”

“Stevonnie, we’re getting you out of here, I promise!”

“I… I’m sorry I couldn’t… I never…”

Their head fell back as they drifted into unconsciousness.

“Stevonnie! _Stevonnie!_ ”

The rage came again, all-consuming, overwhelming, and she felt like throwing herself right at Yellow Diamond, no matter how fruitless an effort would be -- even clawing at her with her fingernails, just to hurt her, just to make her suffer even a _little_ before the Diamond swatted her like a...

_No._

She closed her eyes. Jasper’s screams and Lars’ groans faded away.

_In. Out. In. Out._

_Stevonnie’s face. Their eyes. Their laugh._

_In. Out. In. Out._

_Focus the anger._

She could sense _dampness_ not far away - an extraction chamber. That meant steam. Steam meant water. So where was the source? She followed the sensory trail, the feeling of moisture in the air, her fingers testing the admittedly thin atmosphere.

_Stevonnie, bleeding and beaten, mouthing what they probably think are their last words. Were they what Lapis hoped they were? She pretended she knew, using that feeling._

There it was - a boiler room, and gallons and gallons of water supplying it. But it was so far away, and even for a Lapis Lazuli, summoning it through walls and bulkheads and shields would be a supremely difficult task. She wondered if it was even worth trying - but she could feel it, she could feel the water, and that water was _hope._

_Focus your rage._

_Point A - the boiler room. Point B - Yellow Diamond._

All she needed was the fuel to move it such a distance - and that fuel was emotion. She tapped into the wells of hope for a future, of love for Stevonnie, of fear for their survival and pure, seething rage she felt at Yellow Diamond for threatening _her best friend_ \- no, that wasn’t enough - _her reason to keep going._

She clenched her fist, and the floodgates opened.

There was a poof of smoke, and Jasper disappeared, her gem clattering loudly onto the floor. She had put up a fight - the dented floor where her feet had been proved that - but it seemed Yellow Diamond hadn’t even broken a sweat. She sniffed, looking on to Lars who had just gotten back to his feet, wincing and groaning.

“Any last words, pirate?” she asked casually.

“Do your worst,” Lars spat, “At least I’ll see my family again. I doubt you’ve even _had_ something like that…”

“Don’t you _dare_ ,” growled Yellow Diamond, “Presume to know what I’ve had.”

She didn’t even bother with her powers this time. She stepped forward, her massive foot hovering over Lars…

The wall broke open.

A massive crest of water crashed into Yellow Diamond’s back, sweeping her off her feet. It swirled around, swerving and snaking away from Lars as it encircled the room in controlled motions. At the centre of the maelstrom, there hovered Lapis Lazuli, wings out, arms outstretched. In that moment, she was an angel of judgement, passing down retribution onto the sins of a dictator, her face set with a lethal sort of calm, her eyes awash with the flame of pure, undiluted, _controlled_ fury _._

Yellow Diamond burst from the water, her expression twisted into rage, but before she could raise a hand, a fist-shaped mass of water slammed into her, knocking her back down again. A watery chain formed around her neck, squeezing harder and harder and _harder…_

“You _traitor_ …” she choked.

“My name is _Lapis Lazuli_ ,” she snarled, “And if you _ever_ come near Stevonnie again, I’m going to make you _wish_ I shattered you.”

“You don’t have the…”

Lapis stretched out her arms. The chain tightened swiftly and with great force.

_Poof._

The room filled with yellow smoke, and there was a mighty clang as Yellow Diamond’s gem fell to the floor. Lapis landed in the middle of the room, the water still swirling around her, hair and dress whipped up by the winds created by the swirling tide.

Lars blinked.

“Okay, note to self,” he said, “Get a girlfriend who can do that.”

Lapis paid him little mind, picking up Stevonnie and holding them bridal style. She frowned - they were still out, but she could feel their breathing. They were alive.

Lars picked up Jasper’s gem, looking around for an exit. It was now that Lapis became aware of the sound of klaxons in the air. She could see Yellow Pearl too, huddled in a little ball next to the throne, shaking violently.

Lars tapped his collar, activating a comm link with the _Sun Incinerator_.

“Fluorite, I’ve got an idea…”

Running more on instinct and adrenaline than anything, Lapis quickly jogged over to Yellow Pearl and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, looking up at the blue gem.

“I know where Blue Diamond’s Pearl is,” she said.

“Blue?” Her eyes widened, the fear dulling by a few degrees. “But… but they said she was…”

“She’s on New Earth,” replied Lapis, “I… Stevonnie would want you to come with us.”

Yellow Pearl glanced from her Diamond’s discarded gem to Lapis’ extended hand. She whimpered, looking from Diamond to Lapis three more times.

Then, slowly and deliberately, she took Lapis’ hand.

“Lapis!” Lars called, walking over to them, “I got a plan! It’s a terrible one but it might work…”

* * *

The _Sun Incinerator_ zipped up over the massive knuckles of Yellow Diamond’s ship, twisting and twirling to avoid anti-ship fire from the vessel’s defence batteries. None of the other ships fired - the danger of destroying their own flagship was too great. The Rutiles sat at the pilot’s seat, ducking and weaving the ship with an expertise developed from thirty years of flying it.

“Okay, ten seconds!” called Left-Rutile.

“Opening the ramp!” Right-Rutile added.

The Sun Incinerator dipped down, a loading ramp underneath the craft slowly lowering down. There would be mere seconds to pull this off - everything had to go according to plan.

Just ahead of them, there was a sudden explosion of water and shattered glass. The water, coalescing into a strange, almost amorphous bubble in the void of space, suddenly shot towards the _Sun Incinerator_ like a giant asp, snaking towards the ramp and crashing into the loading bay. Swiftly, the Rutiles closed the ramp, and once it had been sealed, the water dissipated.

Lapis landed gracefully in the loading bay, still holding Stevonnie. Behind her, Lars and Yellow Pearl flopped to the ground like beached fish. Somewhere off to their left, Rhodonite sounded like she was sobbing -- in relief or fear, who knew?

“Guh…” Lars turned on his communicator again, “Fluorite, engines?”

“ _All… set…_ ”

“Good! Rutiles! Nova Thrusters! _Floor it!_ ”

“Oh, a marvelous vision occurs! I forsee Captain Lars making a _splash_ when he enters!”

The Rutiles slammed a finger on the button, and the _Sun Incinerator_ twisted and distorted into a single pinpoint of space before shooting off into warp, right under the noses of Yellow Diamond’s fleet.

* * *

It was a sunny day on their little Island world, and it didn’t reflect Lapis’ mood at all.

Carefully, she and Lars maneuvered Stevonnie onto the mattress, laying her down gently. As Lars went to find a blanket, Lapis leaned over her barnmate - they still hadn’t stirred, and it had taken at least a day to get back to the Island. Humans didn’t sleep this long, did they?

But they were still breathing, so they couldn’t be _dead_. What was this? Lars had called it something, a word she’d never heard before.

_Coma._

“Okay, here we go,” Lars said, throwing a ragged blanket over Stevonnie, “My work here is done.”

“You’re leaving?” asked Lapis.

“Yeah, I… there’s nothing here for me, you know?” replied Lars, “This is _your_ place, not mine. We’re gonna drop lemon girl over on New Earth, and then I’ve got a new quest.”

He clenched his fists.

“I’m gonna find Project Chrysalis,” he declared.

“But Jasper said that was false…”

“I know it’s false hope,” replied Lars, “This isn’t about saving anyone. This is about revenge. And I know it’s unhealthy, but… if I shut it down, they can’t hurt anyone anymore, right?”

Lapis nodded.

“But… you don’t wanna wait for Stevonnie to wake up?” she asked.

Lars sighed.

“I spent all this time wondering if _Steven_ was alive,” he said, “I… I don’t really know what to do with _Stevonnie_. And I know that’s what he chose, but… I dunno, I need some time to come to terms with that, with _them_.”

Lapis frowned.

“It’s not _their_ problem to…”

“Yeah, I know, it’s mine,” Lars nodded, “That’s why _I_ need to think. I mean, this isn’t _goodbye_ , it’s just… see you later.”

He walked over to the door and grinned.

“You haven’t seen the last of Captain Lars, Lapis,” he declared.

He pointed his fingers, making a gun shape with his hands.

“ _Bingo bongo._ ”

He smirked once more and jumped down from the barn door.

“Uh… ‘bingo bongo,’ I guess,” muttered Lapis.

She turned back to Stevonnie, sighed, and sat down next to them. Now all she had left to do, she supposed, was wait for them to wake up.

However long that might take...


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now, the waiting game.
> 
> A very special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this - I know I say this every single time, but this story would never have gotten to this point without her. Please read her stuff, she's one of the best writers I know.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

On the first day, Stevonnie didn’t stir.

The weather remained perfect, as if mocking Lapis with its cheerful temperance. At any other time, they’d be outside, walking, exploring, even just talking; but today she didn’t leave the barn. Instead she sat, she paced, she fretted, and all for nothing.

She did try to clean Stevonnie’s face a bit - it was still covered in dried blood, and it had reached the point where she just had to wash it off. She also noticed the bristles of fur on their chin and cheeks, and wondered if it was appropriate to do something about it. She decided to wait, at least until tomorrow.

There was one bit of good news - she did manage to feed them. Sure, it was just crushed up fruit and a bit of water, and she wasn’t quite sure if they were swallowing or inhaling it (they didn’t _seem_ to be choking), but it was a start.

Maybe things would improve soon.

Maybe.

* * *

 

The second day was perfect once more, and that was almost enraging.

Today, Lapis decided to attempt shaving. She still wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, but it gave her the feeling that she was doing something useful, so she went ahead and did it. Besides, perhaps the sensation on their face would wake them up.

There was no such luck, but if she was honest, Lapis thought she’d done a pretty good job.

Otherwise, the day was spent reading in a failed attempt to calm down. She went through a hundred pages of a novel, looked up, and realised she hadn’t retained memory of a single page. She threw the book away in disgust and went back to fretting and pacing.

Still the sun shone.

* * *

The third day was again the picture of perfection, but Lapis could feel a sense of moisture on her skin. It was an unmistakable sign - rain was coming.

She wondered if she should warp to New Earth; if she should tell Peedles or the Hospital what was happening. She found herself sitting by the warp pad and staring at it for several minutes.

_What if you go and they wake up?_

_What if you don’t go and they never wake up?_

In the end, she didn’t, and the rest of the day passed in the same way the previous two had.

And yet, she could feel the deluge in the air - the sign of _change_. She wondered if that meant anything.

* * *

On the fourth day, the clouds rolled in, but the rain did not come. Lapis knew it was coming, but today it held off.

Now she was trying a new tactic - being loud. That normally woke humans, from her experience (and it certainly woke _her_ ), so she made a point to do everything as loudly and unsubtly as possible.

She picked up magazines and just about shouted out the articles. She sang random songs, not even sure if she was getting the words right. She made deliberately goofy noises as she walked or moved or shifted, just as she remembered Peridot doing long ago, when she needed cheering up.

Stevonnie didn’t so much as cough. All it did was exhaust her.

That night, Lapis slept for the first time in ages.

* * *

She found herself standing in a dimly lit room, small, gentle lights swaying around, illuminating a wooden floor. Above her was a banner - ‘BEACH CITY HIGH SCHOOL PROM’, and a year that Lapis knew had been about twenty-five years before. It was completely empty, but she couldn’t help but feel _watched_.

She looked down at herself. She was wearing a pink suit and necktie with shined dress shoes - since when did she wear _shoes?_ Dimly she recognised that this must be a dream.

“Steven?”

She knew that wasn’t her name but turned around regardless.

Stevonnie stood there, dressed in a smart blue gown with a red ribbon around the waist, their arm outstretched as they blushed intensely.

“May I have this dance?” they asked nervously.

She felt herself blushing furiously as she raised her hand to take theirs. Slowly, they moved back and forth to the time of a slow, graceful song that Lapis did not recognise.

“You look amazing, Connie,” she heard herself whisper.

Stevonnie let out an anxious snort.

“That’s just you saying that,” they replied.

“No, I mean it,” she said, “You’re just… I can’t believe how lucky I am, you know? Like… aw, geez, Dad said I’d got this, but I really don’t…”

“Heh,” Stevonnie snorted again, “Neither do I. Maybe nobody’s ‘got this.’”

Lapis chuckled back.

“Yeah, maybe,” she replied, “But at least we can try, right? And for what it’s worth… there’s nobody I’d rather try with than you.”

Stevonnie’s eyes began to water, and Lapis felt hers well up in kind.

“I love you, Connie,” she said, her voice wavering.

Stevonnie smiled and leaned in. Nervously, as her heart fluttered at a million beats per minute, she moved in kind, closing her eyes…

_BOOOOM._

Lapis woke with a start as the sound of thunder reverberated through the barn.

She lay on her hammock for some time, listening to the rain. That dream… it must have come from Stevonnie, right? It was one of their memories, which meant they were definitely still in there.

But why then -- _why wouldn’t they wake up?_

* * *

Day five.

Lapis stood over Stevonnie, dress and hair blown by the wind from the storm outside. She felt utterly _exhausted_ , even though she’d done nothing but watch her friend for days.

Nothing had worked - nothing at all. And it was infuriating, because she knew, _knew_ that they were still in there, so why wouldn’t they wake up? What could she do? There was so much she wanted to say with them, to do with them, and they _just wouldn’t wake up._

Maybe this was how it all ended. Maybe they’d sleep forever. Maybe she’d never, ever get the chance to tell them…

She walked over to the door, looking out into the rain. Finally, the weather reflected her mood - it was as if her sorrow was weeping from the sky, threatening the flood the entire world. It was a swirling fog of rain and mist and despair, grey and sad. Normally Lapis liked the rain, loved it even, but now it only added to the hole in her heart. There was a strange sense of finality in the air - and while she told herself it couldn’t, _couldn’t_ end like this, her hope was fading.

She closed her eyes, remembering the song sung at the _Diamond’s Lament_ years ago.

“ _I… I wish you could swim…_ ”

She opened her eyes once more, gazing out into the swirling rainstorm once more.

“ _...like dolphins… like dolphins can swim…_ ”

She turned around, walking slowly towards her unconscious friend, her voice wavering as she sung on.

“ _Though nothing… nothing will keep us together…_ ”

She sat down next to Stevonnie, still singing, still hoping against hope for them to open their eyes and join in.

“ _....we can beat them… forever and ever…_ ”

She leaned over their face, gingerly placing a hand over their cheek.

“ _Oh, we can be heroes… just for one day…_ ”

The well broke, and she began to cry, the emotions of the entire long ordeal breaking out. She dropped forward, her face falling onto their chest as she began to sob. This was it, she thought - it was done, it was over and she was alone once more.

“ _And I… I will be king._ ”

Lapis’ eyes widened as she heard the voice. Was it… could it be?

“ _...and you… you will be queen._ ”

Slowly, she lifted herself up, looking up at her friend’s face. Their eyes… they were _open._

“ _Though nothing… will drive them away…_ ” Stevonnie grunted as they pushed themself up, bringing themself level with the kneeling Lapis. She said nothing, her wide eyes still running with tears.

“ _...w-we can be heroes_ ,” Lapis forced herself to sing back, voice still shaking, “ _Just for one day…_ ”

Stevonnie smiled weakly.

“ _...we can be us… just for one day._ ”

Slowly, Lapis started to lean in, her hand still on Stevonnie’s cheek. She didn’t know _why_ , exactly, but it seemed right. She closed her eyes - _don’t question it, don’t question it…_

And so it was, in their small piece of shelter in a world consumed by wind and rain and raging oceans, a world that was alien and familiar and unquestionably _thiers_ , that Stevonnie and Lapis Lazuli kissed for the first time - a short and somewhat awkward affair, tinged by nervousness and sweet relief, but a deeply personal and special moment nonetheless.

* * *

White Diamond was not smiling. She didn’t look specifically angry, but she didn’t need to - the absence of her standard smile was a statement enough. The newly regenerated Yellow Diamond dared not say a word.

“I expected this from Teardrop,” the bigger diamond said at last, “But _not_ from _you_ , Spark. We will need to _talk thoroughly_ about where we go from here.”

Yellow Diamond swallowed but did not dare to protest.

“In the meantime,” continued White, “Those pirate raiders are aware of the existence of Project Chrysalis, which is a very unfortunate state of affairs. Production of the prototype must be increased - I want it deployed at the first possible opportunity against these organics.”

“Yes, White. It will be done.”

“Very good,” said White, “As your ship is destroyed, you will not be confined to Homeworld as Blue was - but I expect you only to leave to observe the Project. We can’t have you running around while you’re being _punished_ , can we, Spark?”

“I… yes, White.”

“Very good. That will be all.” White clapped twice.

Yellow beat a very hasty retreat, leaving White alone once more. Slowly, ever so slowly, her smile returned.

“I do sometimes wish I could tell them who you are, Starlight,” she muttered to herself, “But I think that pain is best saved for the right moment - like when I _deal_ with your little Lapis friend…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's slow burn, and then there's twenty years.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything is different now.
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Read her Voltron stuff. Even if you don't watch Voltron, it's great stuff.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Stevonnie and Lapis sat at the doors of the barn, wide open to the elements. A gentle, steady downpour weeping a steady pitter-patter onto the leaf-thatched ceiling, running down the ridges and grooves and soaking the earth down to the foundation. They hadn’t spoken for some time, sharing in the quiet observation of the world beyond.

Stevonnie rubbed their arm, occasionally stealing glances at the blue gem. A few times, it looked as though one of them were about to say something, but then inevitably their mutual silence returned. The high of the kiss had worn off, replaced by a weird sense of… _awkwardness_. Now that they had crossed the threshold, neither of them seemed quite sure of what to do next.

“So,” Stevonnie said at last, “Are we…”

“I… think so?” replied Lapis, cheeks burning dark navy. “Unless you don’t want to, I mean… I…”

She looked away, biting her lip.

“No,” replied Stevonnie, “I think… I think I do.”

They sat in silence for a while longer.

“So we’re together, then,” said Lapis, “I-I-I mean we’ve been together for twenty years, but now we’re _together_ together, so…”

There was a long silence.

“We need to talk to Garnet, don’t we?” asked Stevonnie.

“Yeah, I think we do.”

* * *

There were a lot of things Lapis and Stevonnie might have expected when warping to New Earth. They definitely might have expected a welcoming committee, having both been missing for - was it two weeks? Lapis couldn’t quite remember. They expected having to answer some questions - where did you go, what happened, how did you escape Yellow Diamond?

The last thing they expected was to be staring down the barrel of a gun. Yet that is exactly what they saw as they warped into the back room of the _Diamond’s Lament_.

“Uh… _what?_ ” Stevonnie asked.

The pistol was held by a Human Resistance officer, his face twisted into a dark scowl.

“You’re in violation of the Gem Restriction Act,” he sneered, “And I…”

“The _Gem Resistriction what?_ ” demanded Lapis.

“Don’t play dumb with me, _rock_ ,” replied the officer, “Now come quietly and I won’t have to shatter you.”

Lapis blinked.

“You… you actually think you can take us,” she said flatly.

“I _said_ ,” the officer snarled, “ _Come quietly_. Or else I’ll-”

Anything else he might have said was cut off by a loud _crash_ as someone slammed a large bag of fruit over his head. The officer slumped to the floor, revealing Jenny standing behind him.

“‘Sup, ‘Vonnie,” she said, “Glad to see you’re still with us!”

“I… thanks,” replied Stevonnie, “What the heck was he doing?”

Jenny frowned, turning and walking to the door. She locked it with a metallic ‘clink’ before turning back to the two gems.

“Lewis launched a coup,” she replied.

“She _what?!_ ” exclaimed Stevonnie.

Jenny nodded, sitting down on top of some old crates.

“When you didn’t come back, Amethyst was _furious_ ,” she explained, “I mean, I’ve _never_ seen her that mad. Dug into Franks at the debrief - I thought she might actually kill him. Humiliated him in front of all of his officers. They didn’t take that well.”

She sighed, running a finger along a dusty shelf surface.

“Anyway, Ames and Peri went off to find you - I think they’re still out,” she continued, “Which left Garnet and the HR to look after New Earth. ‘Cept nobody respected Franks anymore, which meant Lewis could convince them to overthrow the government.”

“Garnet,” asked Stevonnie, “Jeff, Peedee, are they okay?”

“Jeff’s locked up with Franks,” replied Jenny, “Garnet and Peedee are at the Museum of Earth - there’s still people holding out against the Resistance there. I can take you guys there if you want.”

“Of course!” replied Stevonnie, “We can’t just leave our friends, can we?”

“Plus we need to talk to Garnet,” added Lapis, “About… _things_.”

“Alright, c’mon.”

Jenny unlocked the door again, slipping into the main bar room. She glanced over to Simon, waving her arm in a circular motion - the old bartender nodded, reaching under the counter and throwing her a dirty old key.

“You ever seen the sewers?” asked Jenny.

“...no,” replied Stevonnie.

“Well, you’re about to.”

* * *

The sewers were not particularly impressive - they _were_ sewers, so it’s not like they had particularly high expectations. The ceilings were low, forcing Stevonnie to crouch to fit their head in, and the walkway creaked and groaned. The air was putrid and stale, the water a foul brown, and there was precious little light.

The sewer was one of the first parts of New Earth to be built - it was a hygienic necessity, but it was clear it had been built before gem tech began to be integrated in the settlement. It was a jerry-rigged _tube_ of rusted metal, held together by grit, polish and a healthy amount of wishful thinking. It was, evidently, overdue to be upgraded, nearing the limits of its capacity - exactly how Lewis intended to do this without gem help was anyone’s guess.

“Where’s the water coming from?” asked Lapis.

“Used to be we’d have to go out and get it from asteroids or other planets,” replied Jenny, “But we put in a water production plant about… two, three years ago? It’s under the hospital. Saves a _heck_ of a lot of work.”

Stevonnie nodded.

“You’ve really made something here, haven’t you?” they asked,

“Sure have,” replied Jenny, “It’s what we can do when we work together, y’know?”

She grinned.

“There’s always room for two more, y’know.”

“I… we’re happy on the island, I think,” replied Stevonnie.

“It’s home,” Lapis shrugged.

“Well, you two ever change your mind, maybe you can get a little apartment or something,” said Jenny, her tone turning conspiratorial, “You know, just a little _one bedroom_ thing…”

She chuckled as Stevonnie and Lapis both blushed.

“Anyway,” she said, “We’re here.”

They had reached a small ladder and a hatch on the roof. Gently, Jenny tapped on it - once, twice, three times. There was a brief silence and a muffled voice.

“Password?”

“I dunno, you change it every time I come here.”

“Oh, right… um… uh… who won the battle of-”

“Just let me in!”

“...alright.”

The hatch creaked open. The Curator, looking a little haggard but otherwise none the worse for wear, motioned for them to climb up.

The main floor of the Museum of Earth was crowded with gems - pearls, rubies, peridots and all manner of others - and their human allies. The exhibits had mostly been spirited away into the back rooms, allowing as much space as possible for what appeared to be a combined command centre and triage. Not far away, Peedee and Garnet were discussing something - the former looked incredibly tired, and there was a nasty new scar running across his mouth.

“Garnet!”

The two turned as Stevonnie ran over, pulling the fusion into a hug. She grinned, returning the gesture and spinning them around.

“You’re alive?!” exclaimed Peedee.

Garnet pulled out of the hug but kept her hands on Stevonnie’s shoulders.

“I knew you’d make it,” she said.

“Because of your future vision?”

“No.” Garnet glanced over to Lapis. “Because you have someone who would never give up on you.”

Lapis blushed, averting her eyes.

“So what’s going on?” asked Stevonnie, “I heard about Jeff and Franks… _I guess_ … but how’s everyone else?”

Peedee frowned.

“We haven’t been able to get back to the dock and call Amethyst,” he replied, “So we’re on our own. As far as people who can fight, we got me, Garnet, Jenny, Buck, Carl… I think that’s it.”

“I can fight!” the Curator said brightly.

“No you can’t,” replied Peedee.

“No I can’t,” the Curator agreed glumly.

“What about Vidalia?” asked Stevonnie.

Peedee pointed over his shoulder.

Vidalia was laid on a table which apparently doubled as a bed, her stomach being bandaged by Doctor West and a lime-green pearl. She winced as he tightened the bandage, before turning her head to Stevonnie and Lapis.

“Yeah, thought you two would make it,” she said, “I’d come over and say hi, but…”

She winced.

“...they got me right in the gut,” she grunted, “Doc says I’m lucky I’m not dead ‘cause I’m ‘old’ or something.”

“The chances of recovering from a gunshot wound from a person pushing seventy are greatly decreased from…”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” snorted Vidalia, “I’m alive, ain’t I? And I got them as good as they got me.”

She pointed at a shotgun resting against the wall.

“Why’s Lewis getting away with this?” demanded Lapis, crossing her arms, “Why didn’t anybody notice?”

“We _did_ notice,” grumbled Vidalia.

“Jeff brought this up with Franks time and time again,” said Peedee bitterly, “But you know what he did? He went and _asked_ Lewis if she was doing anything wrong. He _asked_ officers if they were stockpiling weapons. He _asked_ if they were disobeying him. And then he took them at their word.”

“After what happened at the space station,” added Jenny, “Jeff was gonna launch an investigation. Lined up a few people to take a proper look - me, Vidalia, Simon, Lenny… but that spooked ‘em. By the time Franks even knew they were planning a coup, it was too late.”

“And now they have Jeff,” spat Peedee.

“And Franks,” added the Curator helpfully.

“ _Fuck_ Franks!” Peedee spat, “This is all his fault! If he’d just done his damn job - or better yet, hadn’t decided to play _freedom fighter_ for twenty years - Jeff would be safe and I wouldn’t be panicking about whether he’s alive or not, and… _fuck him!_ Just _fuck him!_ ”

He ran his hands through his hair.

“He never meant anything wrong,” reminded Garnet.

“That doesn’t matter,” replied Peedee.

He sighed.

“I’m going in the back to cool off,” he said, “Let me know if anything happens.”

He marched away.

“So,” asked Lapis, “What do we do now?”

“ _Attention Homeworld sympathisers!_ ”

A voice, amplified by a megaphone, came from outside.

“ _This is the Provisional Government_ ,” the voice continued, “ _We offer you one last chance at clemency. All humans inside the building, with the exception of the arch criminals Peedee Fryman and Vidalia… um…_ Vidalia _…”_

“Nice to be famous,” muttered Vidalia.

“ _...may leave the Museum of Earth without punishment if they come out quietly within the next hour. We have only one stipulation._ ”

“Of course,” muttered Jenny, “What’s the catch?”

“ _All persons who take this offer must be present at 1700 hours for the public executions of Roger Franks and former Mayor and arch-collaborator Jeff Fryman outside the hospital. You have one hour. Make your choice.”_

There was a long, long silence.

“...public executions?” blurted Jenny at last, “What is this, 1755?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone _really_ surprised that the HR ended up doing this?


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've thought long and hard, and I've finally decided that Lewis is from New Zealand. No particular reason for it, just seemed interesting.
> 
> A very special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. The last line of this chapter was hers and I couldn't think of a more perfect way to end it if I tried.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Stevonnie glanced at the clock. 3.15 - Jeff and Franks had less than two hours.

They sat in a small room - the Curator’s office. It wasn’t much; just a desk, a small analogue clock and a lot of pictures of trains on the wall. Across from them, Garnet paced back and forth, hand on her chin. They needed a plan, and soon; yet Stevonnie’s mind was focus was divided, still thinking of the events of earlier that day. They needed to talk - but was this the right time?

“There’s something on your mind,” said Garnet.

Well, it was _a_ time, Stevonnie supposed. That would have to do.

“Garnet, I kissed Lapis.”

Garnet stopped pacing, turning to the other fusion. Slowly and deliberately, a wide grin appeared on her face.

“Congratulations,” she said, crossing her arms.

“I… thanks,” replied Stevonnie, “But… where do we go from here, Garnet?”

Garnet sat down, leaning casually forward on the desk.

“Tell me how you feel,” she said, “Because you love her, you told me that; but you’re nervous.”

“I…”

Stevonnie sighed, focusing on one of the train pictures - some kind of ‘Flying Scotsman.’

“I don’t know,” they replied, “I’m… _happy_ , and I don’t regret doing it, but I… I guess I’m scared, too. Like, what does this mean? Is everything different now? I-are we gonna get engaged, get married, I-uh-um- _adopt a Ruby or something?_ ”

“I like that last one,” muttered Garnet.

“I, just… I have no idea where we go from here, and it’s… I don’t want to lose what we had, you know?”

Garnet nodded, placing a hand on top of Stevonnie’s.

"It's okay to be scared," she said, voice a solid harbor to guide them to shore in the tumults of their emotion. "Things may be different now, but that doesn't mean you've lost what you had. A relationship is... It's growth, not replacement. If things are different, you get to be the one to choose how that different is -- good, bad, or otherwise..”

Stevonnie tilted their head.

“No one knows where you go from here,” continued Garnet, “There’s no hurry to do _anything_ \- you and Lapis need to decide what pace you’re comfortable with. But right now, all you are is two people who love each other; that’s what you were before, it’s just… a different kind of love now.”

She smiled sympathetically.

“It always feels awkward at first, Stevonnie,” she explained.

“Even for Ruby and Sapphire?” asked Stevonnie.

Garnet grinned. “ _Especially_ for Ruby and Sapphire.”

They shared a quick chuckle.

“The main thing is that it feels _right_ ,” finished Garnet, “So tell me - tell me how it feels.”

Stevonnie blushed, their face warming. They ran a finger over the heated skin and smiled.

“It feels _right_ ,” they said, “I… I _want_ this.”

Garnet gave them a thumbs up.

“Then there’s nothing to be worried about.”

* * *

“So… you and ‘Vonnie are a thing now, aren’t you?”

Peedee sat down next to Lapis, crossing his arms. They were sitting against one of the display cases - it had displayed an old wedding dress from the nineteenth century, but that had been hidden away to prevent damage. For reasons known only to him, the Curator had elected to leave a photocopied image of it in the case; perhaps so he’d know where to put it when it came back out.

“I… how can you…”

“Been there, done that,” replied Peedee, “Besides, the way you’ve been looking at each other - Jeff actually thought you already _were_ a thing a few times.”

He shrugged.

“But now you’re _official_ , aren’t you?”

Lapis closed her eyes and nodded.

“I think so,” she said. Whatever face she had been making must not have been very convincing, because instead of lulling back into a comfortable silence, Peedee continued with his line of questioning.

“So… what’s the problem, then?” asked Peedee.

Lapis hugged her legs, looking at the floor. She considered not answering -- sure, Peedee was nice enough, and Stevonnie liked him, so Lapis could even consider them a companion -- but talking about _this_? That felt like… a little much. Still, the urge to untether this weight, this anxiety, was too great and her lips were spilling forth bitter truths before she had the foresight to stop herself.

“I’ve ruined everything,” she confessed, “I… we had something nice, and then I had to be an _idiot_ and kiss them and now…”

“Hey, come on, I’m sure nothing’s ruined,” said Peedee, “You just… you’re just in a different place. And that’s fine.”

“But what if they don’t want it?” asked Lapis, “What if they don’t want _me?_ What if they just feel obligated, so I don’t… don’t _run away_ again and ruin everything.”

Peedee rested a sympathetic hand on Lapis’ shoulder.

“Why would you think that?”

“Because I’m a walking disaster and every relationship I’ve ever had was toxic,” replied Lapis, “Jasper and I were horrible to each other. I was horrible to Peridot. And… I don’t want them to have to go through that. I just… we were better off as friends.”

“But you love them,” said Peedee.

“Yeah, but…”

“And they love you,” added Peedee pointedly.

“I… I mean I…”

Lapis nodded.

“Yeah,” she said, “I think so.”

“So there’s no problem!” said Peedee, “I mean, if you’re not ready, that’s cool, but if you back off because you’re _scared_ or you think your _toxic_ because of something that happened thirty years ago… well, aren’t you always gonna wonder what could’ve happened?”

He smiled, gently squeezing Lapis’ shoulder.

“You’re a water gem, Lapis,” he said, “ _Dive._ ”

“And how long did it take ya to think of that one, Peeds?”

Jenny walked over, chuckling as Peedee’s face twisted into a scowl.

“I’m trying to _help_ , Jenny,” he snapped, “I…”

“I get you, Peedee, I get you,” nodded Jenny, “Just givin’ the heads up - the team’s ready when you are.”

“Team?” quizzed Lapis.

“Who’s coming?” asked Peedee.

“Carl, Buck n’ me,” replied Jenny, “Plus you, Garnet and the lovebirds.”

“Hey!”

“Reckon we’ve got seven of us all up,” finished Jenny.

“Against the entire human resistance?”

Peedee shook his head, smirking humourlessly.

“Heck, it’s almost _fair_.”

* * *

“Alright, gentlemen, it’s time.”

Lieutenant West (not to be confused with Doctor West, despite the name) stood outside the Museum of History. Commander Lewis had made his task quite clear - if they didn’t surrender, the ‘rock lovers’ were to be wiped out, to make an example of them. The Lieutenant felt it was a _tad_ harsh, but orders were orders, and he was a good soldier.

His troops surrounded the entrance, carrying a variety of weapons - the reverse-engineered energy weapons for any gems, and older assault rifles and machine guns for the humans. He reckoned they’d last about five seconds. Perhaps he’d be promoted for cleaning them up.

“Corporal, breach the door in five seconds,” he ordered, “Sweep and clear - I want this done quick and clean. _Five… four… thr_ —”

Now, being surrounded and outnumbered, the very last thing that Lieutenant West expected his enemy to do was to break out. Therefore, he hadn’t really prepared for the eventuality.

When the door flew open and Garnet barrelled out, slamming a gauntlet into the soldier next to it and sending him flying across the street and through an upper-storey window, it would be correct to assume that Lieutenant West was _quite_ surprised _._

He was even more surprised when the sewer hatch on the corner, about twenty-five metres away, burst open, sending dirty, brown water spraying all over his men. The tower of water shifted, forming a giant hammer, and the Lieutenant was suddenly and unpleasantly reminded of _whack-a-mole_.

As the watery hammer came down on his men, another figure emerged from the museum - the hybrid, _Stevonnie_. The one, he remembered with a gulp, that he’d left behind. They hurled a shield directly into the ranks - it flew from trooper to trooper, and by the time it returned, five of his underlings were writhing on the ground.

West looked around, unconsciously starting to back away, realizing his retreat only once his shoulder blades met the wall of the building across the narrow street. He could see his platoon on the ground, some unconscious, some moaning and clutching injured limbs - but nobody was still standing. He was _alone._

Seven figures had now emerged from the Museum. Stevonnie stood at their head, Lapis Lazuli by their side. Behind them stood Garnet, Jenny, Buck and that jasper, Carl. ( _The one that stupid, stuttering peridot seemed to like_ , he thought to himself.)

Surprisingly, Peedee was the one to approach him, his face set in a dangerously calm frown, one hand behind his back.

“Uh, Mr. Fryman, you gotta understand, I…”

Peedee said nothing, drawing his hidden hand out - West swallowed. The dockmaster was a holding an antique pistol, bulky and square-shaped with a thin barrel protruding out. He pointed it at his head.

“M-Mr. Fryman, please, I’m just…”

“Where’s Jeff?” Peedee asked evenly.

“...you’ve gotta understand, I-I never wanted to betray Franks, I just…”

“Where’s Jeff?” Peedee repeated.

“... _Lewis said-I couldn’t, I needed-_ ”

“ _Where’s Jeff?”_

“Apartment across from the dock! Now put down the gun, I don’t… I don’t deserve this! _I was just following orders!_ ”

Peedee flipped the gun around and slammed it across his face. The Lieutenant dropped like a sack of potatoes or a ragdoll - the dockmaster watched him fall with more than a little satisfaction.

“Lame excuse,” he muttered.

He turned around.

“Okay, I think I know which apartment he’s talking about,” he replied, “Specifically, the one where me n’ Jeff live. It’s just down the street, come on…”

“You’ll never make it.”

One of the downed soldiers coughed out his curse.

“We locked it down… you’ll all _die_ here.”

Garnet crossed her arms.

“You’ll be surprised _._ ”

* * *

“ _...I say again, they are moving towards the dock._ ”

“Understood.”

Blue Pearl hid in the closet, peeking through a tiny gap in the door, as the Resistance officer put down the radio and turned to Lewis. They had turned Peedee and Jeff’s apartment into a cell, with Jeff and Captain Franks tied down on the floor. Franks had gone quietly, but Jeff was covered in cuts and bruises - partially from resisting, and partially from Resistance soldiers ‘letting off steam.’ They hadn’t found Blue - she’d made sure to keep as quiet and still as possible, drawing on her time in Blue Diamond’s court. It had worked - the Resistance hadn’t even bothered to check her little cupboard.

“Captain, we need…”

“I _heard_ ,” Commander - or to use her new, self-appointed rank, _Captain_ Lewis, “We’re gonna have to move things forward. Men!”

Two human resistance soldiers yanked Jeff and Franks to their feet.

“Take Franks first, I want him out of the way,” ordered Lewis, “And I want to handle _this_ traitor myself.”

Jeff narrowed his eyes.

“There’s only one traitor here, Lewis,” he snarled.

Lewis swung out her hand, slapping Jeff across the face. Blue fought the urge to wince as she saw blood spill from her friend’s mouth.

“Tell that to the history books, Fryman,” she sneered, “Because I’m gonna write ‘em. And you and your little _friend_ are gonna be footnotes at best.”

She turned to Franks.

“You got anything to add, _Captain?_ ” she asked.

Franks seemed to ponder for a moment.

“You’re a _fucking disgrace_ ,” he said at last, “And god I wish I’d seen it sooner.”

“More fool you,” snorted Lewis.

She motioned to the door and led the prisoners out, leaving just two sentries behind.

Slowly, Blue’s eyes turned to a small iron bar in the corner of the closet - a _crowbar_ , the humans called it. Peedee sometimes used it at the docks. It was heavy, and maybe if… but she was just a Pearl, right?

She shook her head. No, not anymore. She was _Blue._

Ever so slowly, she reached for the tool.

In her hands, it became a weapon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GO BLOOP.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fighting!
> 
> A very special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. I know I say this every single chapter, but I wouldn't have made it to Chapter 34 without her. I can't express how grateful I am.

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Whatever one might say about the general competence of the Human Resistance, they were at least capable of barricading a street.

The main street from the museum to the docks, never that wide to begin with, had been locked down into chokepoints and defensive walls made of scrap and wood. At the end of the street, just before the dockyard itself, the Resistance had set up a machine gun post - it’s position allowed it to practically dominate the entire avenue.

As a result, when Stevonnie and their friends emerged onto the road, they were immediately met by withering gun and laser fire. The fusion ducked down, scampering behind a dumpster.

Slowly, they raised their shield up - it was immediately met by a burst of machine gun fire.

“Okay,” they said, “Not gonna be easy…”

“ _Argh!_ ”

Peedee slammed into the dumpster next to them, clutching his arm. Stevonnie winced and fought their gag reflex - a bullet had gone into his left arm, and the wound now oozed blood. Peedee seemed almost not to notice - he was tugging on the bottom of his shirt with his right hand.

“Peedee, are you…”

There was a loud rip as Peedee tore off part of his shirt, handing the fragment to Stevonnie.

“Tie this ‘round my arm,” he said, “It’s gonna have to be a bandage for now.”

“Peedee, you can’t…”

“They have Jeff,” reminded Peedee, “So yes, I _can_.”

Stevonnie nodded, taking the rag and beginning to wrap it around Peedee’s arm.

* * *

There was a dull _clang_ as Blue brought the crowbar down on the soldier’s helmet. He didn’t cry out or moan, but fell down like a puppet with its strings cut.

Blue stared down at the unconscious man, a strange sense of _exhilaration_ running through her. Pearls did not fight, especially not against authority figures, and yet here she was, resisting them, standing up for herself. It was terrifying. It was obscene.

It was liberating _._ It was _thrilling._

“Mike? What was that noise?”

She heard the footsteps of the other soldier as she returned to the apartment basement. She held the crowbar tighter - just one more. She could do this. Briskly, she slipped behind the doorframe.

The soldier walked in, glancing down at her fallen comrade.

“Mike? The fuck is-”

_CLANG._

She fell face first to the ground.

For a few moments, Blue stood there, taking stock of her situation. The terror was giving way, submerged by this strange sense of freedom. If her Diamond could see her now.

No. Not her Diamond. Not anymore.

She knelt down, picking up the soldier’s weapon. It was a short ‘firearm’ as the humans called it - mostly metal, with a big drum sticking out the bottom. An inscription was written on the side - ‘Thompson Machine Carbine.’ She wondered if she should use it.

“Mike? Lauren?”

A voice echoed from outside the apartment.

Yes, Blue thought - it might be worth using.

* * *

Captain Franks was marched out onto the dockyard, an eerie sort of finality ringing in the air. Gunfire, shouts, mechanisms moving and destroying - he could hear it all ring out in the distance, dulled beneath his roaring pulse. It kept time with his boots, a metronome of cacophonous pace, like a runner sprinting the last leg of a race with the knowledge the journey was almost over.

His feet fell in sharp steps, disciplined like a soldier.

It was fitting, he supposed, that he would be disciplined like a soldier at the very end, too. He took some pride in it - he knew nobody watching had any respect for him anymore, but he could at least be respectable to himself.

Those human denizens of New Earth that hadn’t joined the ‘renegades’ fighting just a block away had been forced to attend the solemn occasion - the executions of two of the ‘arch-traitors of New Earth.’

There was no applause, no booing, nothing. Those who supported the Human Resistance regarded the sight with quiet approval - those who didn’t turned their faces away, unable to make a sound. The sound of the Captain’s footsteps on the concrete floor was eerie, ethereal, silent but deafening.

Commander Lewis walked behind, flanked by two others, her face set in grim satisfaction as they reached the makeshift stake - really a lamppost. Quietly, her underlings set about tying Franks to the post, while four troopers marched out in front of him, rifles in their arms.

“Captain Lewis?”

Lewis turned. The officer on the left was taking his hand off his earpiece.

“Pro-Gem elements are advancing this way,” he said, “We’ve got them locked down on the main street.”

“Keep them there,” replied Lewis.

She pursed her lips.

“Bring out Fryman,” she added, “We’ll do both at once.”

“You don’t think our men can hold them?” asked the officer.

Lewis shot him a meaningful look.

“Yes ma’am,” he said hurriedly, “Of course, ma’am. Bringing him up now, ma’am.”

He hurried away. Lewis frowned after him, arms crossed.

Perhaps it was wrong to lack faith in her soldiers, her loyal underlings. But as an officer, she’d learned the lessons of experience - and sometimes, that meant showing a little _discretion_.

* * *

Another pillar of dirty water shot high into the air, raining down on the troopers below. Lapis summoned forth another mighty, liquescent fist, ready to slam into the machine gun post - she frowned as it came out much smaller than expected, serving only to drench the crew, not knock them out.

“Come on,” she growled, “Where’s the rest of it?!”

“I think you used most of the sewer water on the museum goons,” replied Jenny, huddled under a crate that had been pushed into the street, “Can’t you gather that gunk up?”

“I could, but it takes _time_ ,” replied Lapis, “How long do we-”

There was a long burst of fire - not a _ratatatat_ , but a long ripping sound that made Lapis wince. Across the street, she saw Stevonnie behind a wooden barricade that was barely tall enough for them to crouch behind. The gun fired again, and bullets bounced off the wooden surface - they winced, pushing their shield up to protect their head.

“Stevonnie!”

Lapis bolted across the road. The _rip_ came again, and she heard the cracks of bullets shooting past - _crack! Whip! Crack!_ She dove down next to Stevonnie, huddling behind the wooden panelling.

“Lapis, what’re you doing?” demanded Stevonnie.

“I-I don’t know, you needed help!” replied Lapis.

“You could’ve been poofed!”

“I…”

Lapis shook her head, pushing herself further down to avoid the Resistance’s fire.

“I can’t leave you to get hurt,” she said, “Not again. We do this together, Stevonnie.”

“Lapis…”

“When I said I loved you,” continued Lapis, “I… I _meant_ it! And maybe that makes things different, and maybe this is dumb, but I… I want to _be with you_ , Stevonnie! Because… because…”

Stevonnie nodded, taking her hands.

“...because your my _partner,_ ” they said.

“Yeah,” replied Lapis, “And I love you.”

There was a momentary silence, save of course for the sound of battle. Eventually, however, Stevonnie’s face twisted into a grin.

“Lapis,” they said, “Do you trust me?”

Lapis glanced down at Stevonnie’s gem, jaw dropping slightly as she saw it begin to glow. Was this… did they… should she…

Lapis looked back up and nodded determinedly.

“Let’s do it.”

* * *

Even for a Lapis Lazuli, gathering moisture from the ground can be time consuming. It’s not _hard_ , not even slightly, but separating water molecules from dirt can be a long job. So it was therefore _concerning_ to the Human Resistance when all of that dampness from Lapis’ first attack simply lifted into the air - or it would have been, had all eyes not been drawn to a far flashier sight.

An amorphous blob of light, swirling and warping beautifully, lifted up from behind one of the barricades. All fire ceased - Jenny, Buck and Peedee gazed up in awe, the Resistance in shock, and Garnet? Garnet was _beaming_.

The form that emerged was about twice as tall as Stevonnie, with light purple skin, strong, thick arms and legs. They wore a sleeveless high-collared jacket - purple with a thick pale yellow line under the collar and a purple ribbon behind. They had a black belt, and a lighter purple dress over heavy boots. Their hair was poofy and fluffy, about shoulder length, and pale freckles lined their face. Slowly, they looked down at their body, testing their arms, their legs and their face.

They closed their eyes and smiled.

“ _Beryl_ ,” they said, their voice soft and quiet, “My name is Beryl.”

They looked behind them, at the flowing wall of water slowly rising into the air, and then back to the Human Resistance, still staring in stunned silence. They floated upwards, wings emerging from their back.

“You have my friend,” they said matter-of-factly.

The officer in charge shook his head and pointed at them, his face read.

“What’re you waiting for?!” he thundered, “ _Fire!_ ”

Beryl threw their hands forward.

The wall of water burst outwards, flying over their friends and down onto the Human Resistance. It swept them aside like bowling pins, sending them hurtling towards the dockyard…

* * *

“Ready…”

The firing squad stood before Captain Franks and Jeff, their weapons at the ready. Lewis crossed her arms as she waited for the moment. Franks stared at the floor, unable to meet their eyes - Jeff stared them down, bound fists clenched as crescent moon impressions dug into his palms.

“Aim…”

“You’ll never win,” hissed Jeff.

“Oh, we will,” sneered Lewis.

“F…”

There was the sound of a gate being kicked open, followed by a long burst of gunfire. The firing squad hit the dirt, and Lewis ducked behind a crate.

Blue Pearl stood at the main entrance to the docks, carrying a Tommy Gun. She had just fired it into the air to attract their attention; she wore a somewhat frightened, somewhat _wild_ scowl. She swallowed visibly as the guns of the Human Resistance trained on her, but stood her ground.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” demanded Lewis.

“I… I’m… _I’m rebelling,_ ” she replied.

Lewis nodded, clapping sarcastically.

“ _Bravo_ ,” she said, “Men, open…”

She trailed off, a deep rumbling in the air. The ground beneath her began to shake.

“Oh _god_ ,” she muttered, “What the _hell,_ no-”

A wave of brown water smashed through the gate of the dockyard, neatly skipping over Blue and the audience and roaring straight for Lewis and her soldiers. She screamed in terror and frustration, grabbing the sides of the crate as the watery sledgehammer smashed down. For a moment, all was dirty brown - the putrid taste streaming around her nostrils and mouth, the force threatening to tear her free from her only anchor…

Then it was done, and she was lying on the concrete floor, coughing and spluttering and looking up in shock and horror at the figure hovering before them.

Beryl looked down on her, a frown on their face. They seemed not angry but disappointed, even a little frustrated, like a teacher dealing with an out-of-control kindergartener. They crossed their arms and shook their head.

“It’s over, Lewis,” they said, “You’ve lost.”

Lewis scowled, reaching for her gun.

“If you think the Human Resistance is going down without a fight, you’ve got another thing…”

“ _If you wanna_ not _get shot at with disrupted cannons, I’d recommend you_ don’t _do that._ ”

Lewis turned around, her eyes wide. A golden ship hovered above the dockyards, its weapons trained on the gathered Resistance. She had seen it once before, in the very, very early days of New Earth - a stolen ship, piloted by a pink human.

_The Sun Incinerator._

“God, I can’t believe I’m happy to see _Lars_.”

Peedee had pushed his way through the crowd to join Beryl, his friends not far behind.

“Never!” exclaimed Lewis, “We will _never surrender!_ We will fight you on the…”

There was a series of _clacks_ , and Lewis looked around. One by one, each member of the Resistance was dropping their weapon and slowly raising their hands.

“...no… no, no, no, _no, NOOO!_ ” Lewis bellowed, “What are you doing? You’re supposed to be _defending humanity!_ ”

She gesticulated wildly in Beryl’s direction.

“They took everything from us!” she thundered, “They took our _home!_ They took our _lives!_ They took… _they took my family! Don’t you care?! Don’t you care about how far down they’ve torn us?! DON’T YOU CARE?!_ ”

“I do.”

Lewis looked up at Beryl. They had lowered down now, and were kneeling down next to her.

“I lost both my dads and my mom,” they explained, “I… I saw them…”

They wiped their eyes.

“I do care,” they said, “I care every day. But then we found each other…”

They glowed, splitting back into two forms, still holding hands.

“I found Lapis,” Stevonnie continued, “And we… we moved on. I’m still sad about it, everyone is, but… we have to move on.”

“But you don’t understand!” shouted Lewis, “You’re a _hybrid!_ A _freak!_ I…”

“Lewis.”

Peedee stepped up, striding purposefully towards Lewis, gun in hand and face set into a scowl.

“I lost everything too,” he said, “I lost my dad. I lost my brother. I lost my truck. But you know what? All these gems you hate - they helped me rebuild my life. That _arch-traitor_ you want to shoot? He was only light I had for a long, long time. So don’t you dare - don’t you _dare_ assume to know who doesn’t _care._ ”

“Fryman, I…”

Peedee raised his gun, pressing it to her temple.

“Peedee, don’t!” exclaimed Stevonnie.

Peedee stood there, finger on the trigger, glaring down at the pale, shaking form of Lewis.

“You take a ship,” he said, “And you _leave_. And if you ever, _ever_ come near my husband again, I swear to _god_ I won’t be so hesitant.”

He lowered his gun and turned away.

Garnet had just finished untying Jeff - the mayor of New Earth raced over to Peedee, pulling him into a tight hug.

“Peedee! I thought… I thought I’d never see you again!” he exclaimed.

“Jeff, never scare me like that again, okay?” asked Peedee.

“I promise…”

Peedee leaned forward, pulling Jeff into a kiss. The crowd around them broke into applause as they savoured the moment, losing themselves in sweet, sweet relief.

Shaking his head, Franks climbed to his feet. He looked around at the confusion and wreckage, sighing heavily.

“I think it goes without saying that the Human Resistance is dissolved,” he said.

“Franks,” replied Jenny, “That might be the first smart thing you’ve ever done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. This was thirty four chapters and eight months in the making. From the moment I decided to continue from that first chapter, before most of the plot was settled, before I even knew that Lapis and Stevonnie were going to be a romantic relationship, I knew two things; one was that Amethyst was going to be alive, and this was the other - I was going to do a fusion. And here they are.
> 
>  
> 
> [This is them. This is they. This is Beryl.](https://sta.sh/01u8mlopoe7f)
> 
>  
> 
> Now this isn't to say that this is the 'nearing the end' point of this story, there is a lot left to go, but it's a landmark for me. They're here now, and I hope you're as excited about that as I am. It's things like this that make writing special, to be honest.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the coup's over. Now to regroup a tad...
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Please read her stuff. Do it for me. :)

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

“I hate that you’re here.”

“Yeah, nice to see you too, Peedee.”

Peedee sat on a bed in a hospital ward, his arm bandaged, surrounded by his friends - and Lars. The space pirate leaned against the wall, arms crossed, clearly trying to look mysterious (and, undoubtedly failing to do so). Closer to the dockmaster sat Jeff, who seemed none the worst for his experience, Stevonnie and Lapis. Occasionally, Lars would glance around, clearly uncomfortable in the sterile environment, and Stevonnie wondered if he had a fear of hospitals.

In any case, they were glad to be able to see him this time, rather than simply be unconscious while he was around.

“So,” asked Peedee, smiling wryly at his husband, “Am I grounded?”

“Yeah,” replied Jeff, “You’re banned from being shot. Forever.”

“Well, once is enough.”

The two chuckled, Jeff taking Peedee’s hand.

“I gotta run soon,” Lars muttered, “I just… I can’t stick around.”

Stevonnie and Lapis both turned - for their part, Jeff and Peedee were too focused on one another to take much notice of Lars.

“What do you mean?” asked Stevonnie.

“This is all… too settled,” replied Lars, pensively rubbing his beard, “Too _safe_. We’ve been out on our own for so long, it’s just… this isn’t my world, you know?”

Stevonnie and Lapis glanced at each other.

“Yeah,” said Lapis, “We do.”

“That’s why we live in a barn,” Stevonnie shrugged.

Lars smirked, then sighed.

“Stevonnie,” he said, “I, uh, just wanted to say, I… I’m sorry.”

Stevonnie tilted their head.

“Sorry?”

“When I first heard you were fused, I was just… I guess _bummed?_ Because I was thinking I’d never see Steven again,” he replied, “And I… that was wrong of me. ‘Cause you’re happy, and that means Steven’s happy, and if you’re happy… gee, this was much less awkward in my head.”

“It’s okay,” replied Stevonnie, “I understand. Thanks, Lars.”

They exchanged smiles.

“Well, I’ll be seeing you,” said Lars, “Gotta get back to the ship in case Jasper reforms and takes it on her own.”

“I hope you find what you’re looking for,” said Lapis.

Lars smiled sadly.

“Me too, Lapis, me too,” he replied, “You take care of them, alright?”

Lapis chuckled as Stevonnie blushed. Then, with a flourish of his cape, he turned and strolled out the door, leaving them alone.

“...so is he still a jerk?” Peedee asked.

Stevonnie turned around, chuckling.

“Nah,” they replied, “And I don’t think he ever was.”

* * *

“...so I’m thinking, Human Resistance? They’re out - so we need something that works for humans and gems, right? So what if we made, get this, a _Home Guard?_ I hope you like it because I’ve already spent a lot of time drawing uniform concepts, and…”

“Why does the helmet look like a bowler hat?”

“ _It’s a classic design!_ ”

Garnet walked into the Diamond’s Lament and past the Curator, who was talking at a weary and beleaguered-looking Jenny. She paid them little mind, looking instead for the fusion sitting alone at one of the tables.

Rhodonite looked up as she sat down.

“I see your hiding from Lars,” said Garnet.

“I’m not _hiding_ , I’m just… procrastinating. Going back. Because…”

She sighed, holding her head in her hands.

“Because I don’t wanna be a pirate anymore,” she sighed, “But I… I don’t wanna let the crew down, you know? I mean, I’m already a _wreck_ , so I can’t disappoint them…”

“They won’t be disappointed,” said Garnet, “They _respect_ you, Rhodonite. They’ll respect what you choose to do.”

She put a hand on her shoulder.

“So tell me what _you_ want.”

Rhodonite bit her lip, closing her top set of eyes as she thought.

“Where would I stay?” she asked.

“I have a _pad_ ,” replied Garnet, “There’s room there.”

“...like a warp pad?” quizzed Rhodonite, “I don’t… I don’t get it.”

“It’s a room,” clarified Garnet, “You can stay as long as you want - until you decide what you want to do on New Earth.”

“And what… what can I do here?”

Garnet grinned.

“ _Anything._ ”

* * *

“You’re alive.”

Yellow’s words were soft, far softer than Blue had ever heard from her.

“Yes,” she replied, “And I’m… a _rebel_ now, I think.”

Yellow’s hand raised to her mouth and she fell onto the chair. The two pearls were in Jeff and Peedee’s apartment, alone, taking the moment to reconnect.

“I… I thought they’d shattered you,” said Yellow, “And _nobody cared_. And I tried not to feel… to feel _anything_ about it but…”

Her voice cracked.

“Are we _defective_ , Blue?”

Blue sat down next to her, slowly and carefully placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“No,” she replied, “We’re _us._ We can do what we want now. It… our Diamonds… they don’t matter anymore.”

“So _what does?_ ” demanded Yellow, “Without our Diamonds, what are we?”

Blue pursed her lips, thinking for a moment.

“Free,” she said at last, “We’re _free_.”

She got up, walking over to the living room drawers and opening the top shelf, pulling out an old, ragged sketchbook.

“I’ve… I’ve been drawing a lot lately,” she said, “Would you… would you like to see?”

Yellow ran a hand over her wet eyes and nodded.

“Yes. I’d like that.”

* * *

Stevonnie and Lapis walked up to the warp pad, Vidalia following, crutches under her arms. The fusion had offered to heal her wound, but she had declined - “The doctors need work, and besides, it’s a learning experience.” It had been a long day - a long _series_ of days, really - and right now, all either of them wanted to do was rest.

“So, I’ll send Amethyst and Peridot your way when they get back,” said Vidalia, “Wouldn’t want them to miss out on…”

“Uh, excuse me?”

Simon the Bartender leaned around the door.

“What’s up, Simon?” asked Vidalia.

“Couple of people here to see you,” replied Simon, “I…”

“ _Stevonnie!_ ”

Simon tumbled over as Peridot bolted into the room, Amethyst close behind. The green gem leapt up onto their midsection, clinging to them in a tight hug.

“You’re alive!” Peridot shouted, “ _You’re alive!_ ”

“Good to see you too, Peridot!” replied Stevonnie, pulling them closer into the hug.

“Hey, save some for me, ‘Dot!” said Amethyst, “Don’t _choke_ ‘em.”

Peridot laughed, letting go of Stevonnie and dropping back to the floor, allowing Amethyst to hug to fusion. She turned to Lapis, and there was a brief moment of silence.

“...hey, Lazuli?” said Peridot at last, “Thanks. For, uh, for bringing them back.”

Lapis smiled.

“Anytime, ‘Dot.”

They turned, just in time to see Amethyst letting go of Stevonnie, stepping back and taking Peridot’s hand. For the briefest moment, Lapis felt a tinge in her proverbial heart - but it was small, almost unnoticeable. Her past with Peridot, she now knew, was just that - the _past_.

She smiled to herself and took Stevonnie’s hand.

“...so, I heard a few weird little rumours on the way in,” Amethyst was saying, “I know a lot happened, but you’re not telling me you just…”

She looked down at their hands.

“... _nnnno,_ ” she breathed, her mouth twisting into a wide smile, “You… _you finally…_ you’re a… she’s your…”

Stevonnie shrugged.

“Yeah,” they replied, “She’s my girlfriend.”

Amethyst clutched her head, letting out a long scream before bursting into laughter. To Lapis, it was quite jarring - _what was she doing? What did this mean?_ \- but then she turned to Peridot and raised her hand - “Up top, Peri!” - and she realised that the quartz wasn’t _upset_ , she was _excited_.

“Alright!” she cried, “They did it! I call Best Gem!”

“Amethyst!” Stevonnie did a double-take, blushing furiously.

“Well, Garnet’s gotta _plan_ the thing, and Peri’s gonna be Lapis’ maid of honour,” replied Amethyst, “I mean, I guess you could have Peedee, but come on, that would be…”

“Amethyst, we’ve been in a relationship for, like, _a day_ ,” said Lapis.

“I’m _messin’_ with ya!” replied Amethyst, “Come on, we’ve gotta celebrate this! Party at ‘Vonnie’s place! I mean, unless you two wanna be alone, because that’s… that’s fine…”

Stevonnie and Lapis glanced at each other and smiled.

“Yeah,” replied Stevonnie, “Party at ‘Vonnie’s place.”

“ _Alright!_ ” exclaimed Amethyst, “Me n’ ‘Dot, we’re gonna show you two a good… hey wait, is this a double-date? _Oh man, it is!_ If I’m dreaming, never wake me up…”

The four stepped onto the warp pad, leaving Vidalia alone. She stood there, smiling after them, for just a few seconds.

Slowly, the smile disappeared.

She turned around, bones and muscles aching, and limped out of the room into the Diamond’s Lament. On the way, she passed Simon, quietly wiping the counter with a spare cloth.

“Feeling alright, Vidalia?” he asked.

“Yeah,” replied Vidalia, “Just, you know…”

She sighed.

“...getting old.”

* * *

Her eyes opened and she was met with instant agony.

She was in a void of pain, vision smeared with black and red. Everything, every single facet of her existence, was pure, unceasing throbbing. She couldn’t move, and everything felt _wrong_. Who was she? She knew she _was_ a she, and she had a name, but all memory was drowned beneath the swirling pain.

She could hear a pair of voices - one strangely familiar, but the tone was wrong. On the other side of glass, she could see figures - silhouettes.

“Please, we’re working as fast as we can, but we need time… if we activate Chrysalis too early, there’s no telling _how…_ ”

“The Diamonds don’t want _excuses_.” The voice was haughty, and she _knew_ she’d heard it before. “The Diamonds want _results_.”

A brief pause that felt eternal.

“The excess material. Can that be used?”

“Y-yes, but only crudely. In drones, perhaps - and we’d need more-”

“Lucky for you, we have an _excess_ \- My Diamond has allowed access to her reserve.”

“But… but Blue Diamond expressly stated…”

“White Diamond convinced her otherwise. This project is of utmost importance. _Do not fail, Peridot -_ remember, you’re _very_ expendable _._ ”

“I-I-uh-yes, Aquamarine. Of course, Aquamarine.”

“Good… and why is it _awake?_ ”

“Uh… I, um…”

“Put it to sleep, now!”

“Yes ma’am, doing it now.”

A strange calm crested over her, and for a moment, her mind was unfogged - a memory played through her head, but even then, the image was spotted by white burns like an old film reel.

“ _No, not that, please… I don’t want this… I don’t want this!_ ”

Whose voice had that been? Her’s?

Darkness claimed her before she could decide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, I wonder what that all means! :)


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of character focus...
> 
> A very special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Her Voltron fic is phenomenal, so go take a look!

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

As do most things with the passage of time, the gunshot wound faded.

The aches and the pains did not.

Vidalia noticed that she just couldn’t carry all the things she used to, or work as hard - and while the Curator was enthusiastic, he wasn’t exactly _fit_ , so she was forced to look for new museum employees. She was surprised when Blue Pearl answered the flyer, and even more surprised when she asked genuine, interesting questions about all of the paintings in the museum.

She began to teach her what she knew - technically and practically. Her lines were straight and geometric at first, but not at all bad, and as time went on she blossomed into an impressive visual artist. Drawing remained her passion, but Vidalia taught her to paint, to watercolour, to sculpt.

She didn’t think much of it until one day, six months after the coup, when the Curator blandly asked her a question.

“Are you training your successor, then?”

He immediately apologized profusely and bolted for his office before Vidalia could reply - which was odd, because she wasn’t offended by the question (although it was a _tad_ insensitive). It made her think - was she? After all, she wouldn’t be around forever, and she’d brought Blue in specifically because…

She cleared it from her mind. What was coming was coming; for now, as always, she’d focus on the moment.

* * *

The months flew by - they seemed to fly right off the calendar, the world speeding up as she seemed to slow down.

A year after the coup, Jeff inaugurated the New Earth Home Guard, the replacement for the disgraced Resistance under the command of Peedee Fryman (Captain Franks’ offer to lead it had been politely but firmly declined.) They were explicitly designed to be less threatening than the old guard - green uniforms instead of black, old fashioned helmets shaped almost like bowler hats, and a distinct scaling back of random military parades. The biggest change of course was that anyone could join, human or gem.

There was a big shindig to celebrate the moment at the Diamond’s Lament, but Vidalia found herself growing tired as the night wore on - before long, she found herself trudging home, her legs weary and aching.

She found herself sitting on a crude little bench near the museum to catch her breath.

“You alright, V?”

She looked up. Amethyst was standing there, concern underlining her features.

“You left pretty early,” she said, “I mean, nobody’s even wasted yet.”

“I’m just tired tonight, Ames,” replied Vidalia.

Amethyst sat down next to her.

“That’s… really not like you.”

Vidalia sighed.

“Yeah, well… you know, it’s _late_ ,” she said.

She looked up at the lights swirling in the sky, dancing and swirling in the Oort Cloud.

“If we died tomorrow,” she asked, “Do you think we’d have lived a good life?”

“I… well, duh, but what brings this up?” demanded Amethyst.

“I’m in my seventies now, Amethyst,” replied Vidalia, “Considering I spent a good portion of that without proper food and water when we started this place, I think that’s pretty damn good, but…”

She sighed.

“...I feel like I’m slowing down,” she said, “I just… can’t do the stuff I used to.”

“Okay, I _really_ don’t like you talking like this, Vidalia,” said Amethyst, grabbing her shoulder, “I mean, come on, you’re not…”

Vidalia chuckled, and Amethyst trailed off.

“Look at you,” said Vidalia, “Just as beautiful as the day we met.”

“Hey, you’re still hot, if that’s what you’re saying,” said Amethyst.

Vidalia smiled.

“But you’re gonna be here one day,” she continued, “And Sour Cream, and Onion, and I… I won’t be. And I just…”

Amethyst swallowed and nodded, her eyes glassy and her lip trembling slightly.

“I’ll look out for ‘em, V,” she said.

Vidalia pulled Amethyst into a tight hug, patting her back gently.

“Thank you, Ames,” she replied.

There was a long sniffle, and Vidalia couldn’t help but laugh a little. It was infectious, and Amethyst vibrated in her arms as she laughed back.

“Getting old fuckin’ sucks, V,” croaked Amethyst.

Vidalia nodded.

“Damn straight it does.”

* * *

Another year flew past, and suddenly she couldn’t run without losing breath. Her pace slowed. Everything else accelerated.

Her work at the museum seemed to scale back more and more, with Blue picking up more of the slack. She had learned to categorize everything in the galleries, and on those few happy occasions when a scavenger brought back an old piece, she was able to tell where it was meant to go - most of the time - without Vidalia’s help.

She still had enough energy to veto the Curator’s more impractical ideas - “...and where exactly are we going to _put_ a working railway?” - but her work became increasingly administrative, and she found herself more and more unsatisfied.

In those moments, she turned to painting. The world outside was changing day by day, and she was determined to chronicle it. She had painted before - the dark days of early New Earth were represented with limited and crude paints and charcoals, while today’s fabrication technology allowed her to use whatever technique she wanted. She wanted to show her kids, and Sour Cream and Onion’s kids (should they choose to have them), what these times were like.

And there was one painting she was more and more determined to paint.

“Okay, so you just want us to stand in front of the barn?” asked Stevonnie.

They and Lapis stood on the beach before the barn. It was a beautiful sunny day on the Island, and after so long on New Earth, Vidalia had started to forget what sunny days on a planet were like. She leaned out from behind the easel, studying her subjects.

“Maybe sit on that rock,” replied Vidalia, “Lapis, put your arm around Stevonnie’s waist.”

“Like this?” Lapis did so as they sat down.

“ _Perfect_ ,” replied Vidalia, “Alright, I just need to get the sketch and the basic colours down, then I reckon I can finish back at home.”

She began to put paper to canvas, swiftly drawing up the rough sketch on her easel. After a while, she stopped to cough into her arm - she drew it away and saw red spots. _Not again_ , she thought grumpily.

“Vidalia, are you okay?” asked Stevonnie, concerned.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, hold your pose…”

It didn’t take terribly long for the sketch to be finished - Vidalia _was_ well practiced, after all - and she was soon onto the colour. In this moment, she felt _freed_ \- existing in a world of rich blues, sandy pale yellow, greens from the treeline and brown from the barn, and in the middle of it all, two figures who loved each other; and there she was, bringing this all to life, preserving this singular moment forever on canvas. There was a simplicity to it all that soothed her mind.

Eventually, however, she set down her brush and climbed to her feet, and all the aches and pains and stresses of life seemed to slowly crawl back, nettling their way into her joints with the familiarity of a houseguest.

“Okay,” she said, “I’ve got the gist of it. I think I’ve got enough to finish back on New-”

She coughed again, and this time some of the red gunk fell to the sandy beach. Before she’d recovered, Stevonnie had run over, placing their hand on her shoulder.

“Vidalia, are you _sure_ you’re okay?” they asked, “Maybe I can help.”

Vidalia chuckled.

“Kid, it’s an internal thing,” she said wryly, “And I’m not swallowing your spit.”

“But…”

“Beside, it comes and goes,” continued Vidalia, “Doesn’t stop me from doing anything, so… let it be.”

“But I _want_ to help!” exclaimed Stevonnie.

Vidalia smiled, putting her hand on their shoulder.

“I know,” she replied, “But… how do I put this, I…”

She shrugged.

“I’m _okay_ ,” she said, “I know it’s coming, and… I’m okay.”

Stevonnie frowned, eyes filled with concern.

“Know _what’s_ coming?”

“I think we both know,” replied Vidalia, “Warp me out, will ya?”

She turned to the warp pad - hesitantly, Stevonnie followed.

“I’ll let you know when this is done!” said Vidalia, “I think it’s gonna come out really well…”

* * *

It was a night like any other.

Vidalia sat in the living room of her apartment, built into the back of the museum, taking in the moment. She had just been working on a painting - not the Stevonnie and Lapis one, that had been done for months; this one was a completely spur of the moment one.

It was her as she was now, wrinkled and grey but still smiling, still full of life; next to her stood Amethyst, and both laughed at an unheard joke. In the background was the museum, it’s artifacts arrayed in cases, displays and on the walls. Next to one, Peedee and Jeff shared a kiss. Peridot stood next to an old fossil in a glass case, but her eyes were really on Amethyst. Blue Pearl sat at an easel to the left of her, Yellow modelling for her. Stevonnie and Lapis walked around nearby, lost in each other’s company. And dotted around them all were her other friends; Garnet, Jenny, Rhodonite.

And on their own on a bench, talking about the little things that brothers speak of, were Sour Cream and Onion, the elder one ruffling the tuft on the younger’s head, as a portrait of Yellowtail looked down on them.

She didn’t know if it was her magnum opus, but it was a damn fine piece, if she said so herself.

It wasn’t finished, mind - about two-thirds were painted, and she hadn’t really begun with the shading at all - and yet when she looked at it, she felt a sense of satisfaction. There was more she’d like to do with it, so much more, but if she couldn’t? Well, that was okay. There was something there, something she had done, and she was damn proud of it.

Her eyelids were heavy as she laid back in the chair, and as she began to drift off, she could have sworn she could see a bearded figure in yellow.

She nodded wearily.

“Took me long enough, didn’t it?” she whispered.

Then, smiling peacefully, Vidalia drifted off.

* * *

_It is with great sadness that the Museum of Earth announces that it’s co-founder Vidalia passed away last night at the age of seventy-four. She is survived by her two children, Sour Cream and Onion._

_Vidalia was the heart, soul and most of the muscle that got this museum started in the early days of New Earth, when all we had were a few meagre crates of human artifacts, and what could be found on the backs of the survivors of Earth. It is almost entirely due to her that we gathered the collection we have today. But her efforts extended beyond our walls - she was one of the great bridges between human and gem that allowed us to survive and thrive in this new world._

_It is going to be hard to imagine New Earth without her, but we must follow her example, and live up to her spirit, her kindness and her tenacity in the face of all adversity._

_We asked that you give her family space in what is a sad and difficult time for them. We have been asked not to publish the details of her final resting place until she has been laid to rest…_

Stevonnie put down the slip of paper, letting it fall to the floor as they sat on their mattress, a deep lump in their throat. With shaking hands, they clutched their temples, closing their eyes.

“She’s gone,” they muttered, “Everyone’s… gonna be gone one day…”

A hand came down on their shoulder, and they looked to their left. Lapis was sitting down, pulling them into a hug.

“Well I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly.

She pulled them in close, rubbing their hair as they began to cry into her shoulder.

* * *

Amethyst wiped her eyes as she watched the tiny canister float into the Oort Cloud - the final resting place of one of her best friends. She could feel the eyes of Onion and Sour Cream on the bridge behind her - she turned around to find Onion already leaving, his expression unreadable as ever. No-one would ever have known he’d been bawling earlier.

“Is… is he gonna be okay?” she asked softly.

Sour Cream nodded, turning around to follow his brother. He made it as far as the door before turning around.

“Hey, Amethyst?” His voice was croaky and soft from lack of use.

Amethyst raised her eyebrows in surprise. Ever since he had returned to New Earth, she had never actually heard him say anything.

“Yeah?” she asked, and immediately kicked herself for not saying more.

“Thanks,” said Sour Cream, “For being her friend.”

Fresh tears threatened to spill over her cheeks as she smiled sadly back.

“My pleasure, SC,” she replied, “My pleasure.”

Sour Cream gave her a small smile in return and walked away.

“Amethyst?”

Peridot got up from her chair, walking slowly up to her girlfriend.

“Are you… gonna be okay?” she asked gingerly.

Amethyst smiled, putting an arm around Peridot’s shoulder.

“She’s at peace now,” she replied, “I’m gonna be sad for a while but… it’s not a bad way to go.”

She closed her eyes, feeling the trickle of tears, the frog in her throat, and a strange sense of calm in her very being.

“Not a bad way to go at all…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still feel a little bad about this, but I feel like I needed something like this to show that, well, time moves on. And part of time moving on is death, and while it's sad, it's part of life, y'know?
> 
> Also, I sort of liked writing the change of pace, just focusing in on Vidalia for a moment, even if it's turned out to be for the last time.
> 
> For the record, Stevonnie kept the painting of them.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new arc for me...
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Why aren't you reading her writing right now? Go do that!

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

In over twenty years, no outside invader had ever come to New Earth.

Sure there had been problems - the recent coup, only five years previous, still weighed heavily on everybody’s minds. But as far as Homeworld went, the people of New Earth considered themselves _safe_. This was their haven, for human and gem alike, where the Diamonds saw nothing and knew nothing. Sure, there was a Home Guard - their green uniforms and simple tin hats making them much less imposing to the population than the Human Resistance - but that was to help the pirates and scavengers, not to actually have to protect the people.

It was a lovely image of total, insular safety.

And, incidentally, it was also a lie, which was about to be shattered.

* * *

Life in New Earth was changing, which wasn’t so much a shift in epochs as it was a way of life in the fluctuating settlement.

Every time they returned, Stevonnie was told of some new expansion or technological marvel brought online to help the people, of new areas often literally bolted onto the city. Building _out_ was hard, because New Earth was basically on a platform floating in space, so increasingly they built _up_. The new towers contrasted the older buildings - they were uniform in colour, pastel greens and glossy blues, looking almost like something that might have been seen on Homeworld. The time of scarcity had passed away, and now they had something approaching… if not plenty, then certainly _sufficiency._

It boggled their head, and as they wandered the new streets, they realised more and more that they didn’t belong here. It was too big, too crowded, too bright in some places and too dark in others. They’d grown accustomed to their little island, where things moved at a slower pace.

They wondered if that meant there was something wrong with them.

“So we have a penthouse now,” said Peedee, leaning back on his chair outside the Diamond’s Lament. They had stopped here for a break before heading up to Jeff and Peedee’s new home.

“It’s not a penthouse, Peedee,” replied Jeff, with exasperation of someone who’d had to say this multiple times, “It’s an apartment at the top of one of the new towers. It’s no better than anyone else's.”

“He’s being modest,” chuckled Peedee.

“I am _not_ ,” said Jeff firmly, “I am not using my power as a mayor to let you live in luxury! The Bismuths have better things to do then…”

Stevonnie sighed.

“What’s wrong, ‘Von?” asked Lapis, putting a hand on their partner’s shoulder.

“Sorry, just… thought of Bismuth for a second there,” replied Stevonnie, “You were saying?”

“It is a step up, though,” mused Jeff, “We built the old apartments out of scraps, and now… it’s like living on Earth, but…”

“But it’s not at all,” finished Peedee.

“Yeah,” sighed Jeff, “Not at all.”

There was a long, sober silence.

Then Peedee grinned impishly and began to speak in a deep, raspy voice.

“But New Earth makes the _best_ condos…”

“Peedee, don’t…”

“...at the best prices,” continued Peedee, “‘Cause I’m Jeff. Eat Jeff Steaks.”

“Peedee, I swear to god…”

Lapis chuckled.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but the voice is funny,” she complimented.

Peedee grinned.

“Thank you Lapis, _very cool,_ ” he continued, “I-”

There was a loud boom somewhere down the street.

“What the heck was that?”

The four stood up, gazing down the street. A plume of smoke, lit by flames, blanketed the east-facing rows of pavement and houses - whatever had happened was only a little way past the Museum, and a few of the Home Guard were already running towards the scene. Stevonnie found themself already making a beeline for the scene, their protective instinct immediately activating. They hoped nobody was hurt.

“What happened?” they heard Jeff yell behind them, “Did anyone see it?”

A powder-green pearl, who was holding tightly to a middle-aged woman’s hand, turned around.

“Something fell out of the sky!” she replied, “I-I don’t think it hit anyone but… was it a comet?!”

“It had some kind of engine,” the woman said quietly, “Comets don’t have those.”

“Scavenger might’ve crashed,” mused Peedee, “Not good.”

They approached the crash site, the smoke still too heavy to see anything. Immediately, one of the Home Guards - a bluish-purple Amethyst - turned and held up her hand.

“Restricted area!” she called, “I…”

She stumbled over her words as she realised who she was talking to.

“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Fryman, Mr. Fryman,” she said, “I-I’ve been asked to keep people away from here in case…”

“It’s all good, Nines,” replied Jeff, “Do you know what it is?”

The Amethyst - Nines, apparently - shrugged.

“It’s a pod of some sort,” she replied, “Corporal Jenkins is taking a look now, but we don’t think it’s armed or anything. I…”

“ _Shit! Take co_ -”

There was a loud bang and a flash of red. A soldier flew out of the plume of smoke, slamming into a wall and bouncing painfully down to the floor. He landed with a crunch, and Stevonnie could just about see a small plume of smoke emitting from the back of his jacket.

“Corporal Jenkins!” exclaimed Nines.

“What the hell was that?” demanded Peedee.

“ _Rebel targets detected. Engaging at will._ ”

There was another flash of red and a scream. A helmet bounced out of the smoke and along the road, stopping as it hit Stevonnie’s boot. They looked down - a few fragments of shiny red rock could be seen in the metal shell.

“Was… was there a Ruby in there?” asked Jeff.

Nine swallowed and nodded.

Suddenly, a figure floated out of the darkness. It was a peculiar contraption - a completely round, white head on a body that vaguely resembled a chess piece. It had two arms, both of which ended in what looked like a limb enhancer with no fingers, and a skirt that was covered by a diamond pattern. In fact, there were diamond insignia all over the robot - whites and yellows and blues.

“ _Targets acquired. Exterminating rebel presence._ ”

It raised its limbs -- arms? -- and the extremities began to glow red. Stevonnie had just enough time to raise their shield before it fired, a crackling, scarlet beam ricocheting off their pink shield and off into the sky.

“Okay, get everyone out,” snapped Stevonnie, “I’ll handle this.”

Lapis stepped forward, putting a hand on their shoulder.

“ _We’ll_ handle this,” she corrected.

Jeff nodded.

“Alright! Everyone get inside, now! Move!”

Any of the remaining people or gems who did not have the forethought to leave already quickly did as they were bid, scurrying into the nearest shelter as the strange drone began to advance again, its smooth, mechanical voice blaring once more.

“ _Targets identified as Rose Quartz and Lapis Lazuli gems. Surrender immediately for painless termination._ ”

“Wow,” grunted Lapis, “You drive a hard bargain. How ‘bout instead I do _this?_ ”

She raised her arms, and one of the sewer manholes burst open. Water streamed into the air, forming a giant hammer above the strange drone. The drone, sensing the oncoming attack and, more importantly, its source, immediately shifted its arm to face Lapis, the beam charging again.

“Look out!”

Stevonnie side-stepped, bringing their shield up in front of Lapis and deflecting the blast before hurling it back towards the drone. It slammed into the arm and forced it upwards, sending a second blast firing harmlessly into the sky.

Before it could correct itself, the hammer came down with enormous force, knocking the drone onto it’s back. Sparks flew and it beeped, spluttering loudly, arms glowing and flickering as the water seeped into the machine’s electronics. Then, with a final pathetic sizzle, the backlit plane of gem tech went dark, head dropping backwards onto the ground.

Slowly, Stevonnie and Lapis approached their seemingly disabled opponent, the former with two shields out. They stood over the mech and smashed each shield into it, following a smooth downward arch; one could never be too careful.

“I think it was already broken,” said Lapis.

“Just making sure,” shrugged Stevonnie, “What the heck do you think this is?”

“Whatever it is,” replied Lapis, shaking her head, “It’s not good…”

* * *

“So it just landed and started blasting everything?” asked Amethyst.

Amethyst and Peridot had joined Stevonnie and Lapis by the ruined drone, which had now been cordoned off by the Home Guard. A few Guards stood over it, poking and prodding the machine in an attempt to work out what it was, while Lenny looked over the drone and took notes. Jeff was at the edge of the cordon, trying to explain the situation to curious passersby.

“Yeah,” nodded Stevonnie, “We think it’s from Homeworld…”

“Which _means_ ,” Amethyst’s voice darkened, “They know where we are. Jeff n’ Peeds letting people know that?”

“I dunno,” shrugged Lapis, “They didn’t tell us.”

“But if they know where we are,” asked Peridot, “Why not just destroy us?”

“I-I-I think it’s a Reconnaissance Robonoid of some… of some kind.”

Lenny had wandered over, Carl following close behind.

“I-i-it would make sense,” she continued, “They… they’d want to know what def… defences we have before… before they…”

“... _before_ they destroy us,” finished Peridot, “Well, that’s a _pleasant_ thought.”

“Tell you what, it’s definitely gonna drive down the price of Jeff’s penthouse,” chuckled Amethyst.

“ _It’s **not** a penthouse!_” Jeff shouted.

“Yeah, sure, you keep telling yourself that, Jeff!” Amethyst called back.

“Hey, look!”

One of the Guards was prodding the helmet of the drone with his bayonet.

“I’ve found a hatch here, I think I can open it…”

“W-wait, no, don’t break it!” exclaimed Lenny, “I…”

 _Click_.

The helmet began to open outwards, splitting into four quarters as each hatch raised up and away, revealing what lay underneath.

“There’s something in…” the Guard paled. “ _Oh my god!_ ”

He stepped back and doubled over, dry-heaving. A strange and unpleasant smell filled the air, and slowly, the group approached the opened helmet.

“Oh no,” Stevonnie breathed.

“Aw, _dude_ ,” muttered Amethyst, shaking her head.

“Is that…” Carl began.

Lenny nodded grimly.

“I think… we’ve found the power source.”

Inside the helmet, there was a half-rotted, noseless, mummified human head, attached to the drone body by a series of thick tubes. The brain was exposed, large chunks crudely replaced with smooth, bright white metal. A single cybernetic eye, black with a white, diamond-shaped iris, stared up at them, almost as if it was gazing into their very souls.

“But… but Homeworld has _computers_ to do this!” exclaimed Peridot, “Why would they do something so… inefficient?”

“I would’ve gone with ‘disgusting’ myself,” muttered Carl.

“I dunno,” replied Stevonnie, averting their eyes from the horrific scene, “But I don’t know if I want to find out…”

* * *

With the recent acceleration of Project Chrysalis, a conspicuous number of _things_ had started going amiss in these mines. Deposits of minerals vanished, pieces of equipment broke, gems were found poofed in the dark tunnels. As a result, security was being tightened, but some of the peridots and quartzes feared that such safety measures still wouldn’t work. They believed some kind of monster lurked beneath this gem-forsaken planet.

And, in a way, they were quite right. Something _did_ lurk in the mines. Something _was_ sabotaging their work, doing everything she could think of to disrupt the progress of a project she honestly knew next to nothing about.

All she knew was that it was helping the Diamonds do something. That was enough reason enough for her to destroy it.

After all, there was nothing better than ruining an upper-crust’s day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's a penthouse jeff


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More stuff.
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. You need to be reading her stuff.

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Together, the polished linoleum floors and the all too-present buzzing of overhead fluorescent lights burned an impression into those who anxiously occupied the waiting area; it was distinctive and decidedly _uncomfortable_. From the skin beneath their fingernails, down to the core of their gems, to the press of nervous teeth into bottom lips -- the whole place was tempered by an aurora of unease.

Stevonnie paced in the hospital hallway, their eyes trained down at the floor.

They had brought the drone - _cyborg_ , more accurately - to the hospital, the best place they could think of to strip it down. The doctors, Lenny and her peridot friends were now performing an unpleasant autopsy, and Stevonnie, Lapis, Jeff and Peedee were left outside. Amethyst had gone to the Diamond’s Lament - she had said she didn’t want to have to dwell on the horrific thing they had discovered - and apparently Peridot needed to work on the _Crystal Avenger_ ’s engines.

Stevonnie suspected she didn’t want to know the specifics of this infernal machine either.

At last the door opened. Doctor West emerged, his weathered, wrinkled face deathly pale.

“I’m not going to lie,” he declared, “That’s one of the worst things I’ve ever had to do in this hospital.”

He sat down, burying his head in his hands.

“Did you identify them?” asked Stevonnie, notably tense.

“There’s not much left to identify,” he replied, “And very few records left to compare the body to. But we found an inscribed ring - they’re washing it off now.”

The door opened again. A Ruby in nurses scrubs walked out, holding a ring in her hand. Behind her followed Lenny, C and X, all looking uncharacteristically shaken.

“I never want to do anything like that ever again,” said C hollowly, “I like tech, but… that…”

“It’s _wrong_ ,” said X simply.

“The machine… it… it uses parts of the flesh,” explained Lenny, “The muscles, the brain, pieces of the heart and lungs. It p-pres-preserves those and… the rest _rots._ ”

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think the… _pilot_ had any awareness,” added Doctor West, taking the ring from the Ruby nurse, “There wasn’t enough left of the brain left for that. The frontal lobe is completely sheared off, and…”

“We don’t need to hear this.”

Stevonnie’s voice was uncharacteristically sharp.

“I… of course,” replied Doctor West, “You want to know who it is.”

He turned over the ring in the hand, looking at the inscription.

“Nothing,” he said, “It’s not a name. Just… ‘with love.’ Maybe a present from someone, but…”

He sighed and shrugged.

“I got nothing,” he said, “We can’t identify them.”

"No! There has to be some way to tell who it is, a scan or -- or _dental records or something_ , right?" Stevonnie carded a hand through their curls, utterly frustrated by Doctor West just giving up. "They were a _person_ , Doctor. They have a story and they deserve better answers than that."

"Stevonnie..."

In the fusion's periphery, they sensed rather than saw Lapis move closer, a hesitant hand outstretched in a move of comfort. They tried to keep themself calm so as not to lash out unnecessarily, and took a steadying breath.

Doctor West wore a patient, understanding expression that was... well, it was actually even worse than if he was just being a defeatist over the whole thing, if you asked Stevonnie. They wanted to be _angry_ over this. Didn't they have that right, at least?

“Isn’t there anything else you can do?” snapped Stevonnie, their fists clenching, “ _Anything_ else? You’re supposed to have technology here, can’t you just… hook them up to something or use some kind of gem tech to… or maybe there’s a record and you just haven’t found it, and…”

“Stevonnie.”

Doctor West spoke up again, and they caught his eyes. The deep sorrow within them stopped them in their tracks.

"I'm sorry, really. If there was more I could... I would. No one deserves... _that_. I'm sorry."

Like a cymbal crash on hollow metal, the hallway tensed as the doctor's voice caught, tears welling in his eyes.

"I'm _sorry_."

Stevonnie swallowed, a lump in their throat. Then, without warning, they turned and ran down the corridor, pushing past the door and into the street.

“Stevonnie!”

Lapis turned around, wings bursting out of her gem. She jumped up and soared down the hallway after Stevonnie, leaving the rest of the group behind.

Jeff shook his head, looking down at the ring in Doctor West’s shaking hand.

“Whoever they were,” muttered Jeff, “They didn’t deserve this.”

Lenny closed her eyes.

“Nobody does.”

* * *

Stevonnie sat in the corner of the barn, the evening light leaving them in shadow. They had sat there for some time, staring at the wall, trying to escape the deeply nauseating feeling that had twisted  their stomach into knots. Their thoughts ran at a million miles an hour; two voices, not entirely distinct, spoke within their being.

_Why would they do this? Who… who deserves that? And I can’t…_

_...there’s nothing I could’ve done. I can’t dwell on it…_

_...but what if it was someone I knew? Wouldn’t I want to know it was them? Even if it’s horrible, they were… they were someone’s family… what if was Uncle Andy, or Jamie, or… or even_ Kevin?! _I…_

 _...I know, I know, but I_ can’t do anything _. And it_ sucks _, but…_

 _...yeah. It just_ sucks…

“Is there room for one more?”

Stevonnie looked up. Lapis stood over them, one hand behind her back and holding her other arm. Wordlessly, they nodded, and Lapis sat down.

“Why would anyone do this, Lapis?” they asked, “I mean, everyone says Homeworld is evil, but… it can’t _just_ be that! They have to think they’re doing the right thing, they can’t just…”

They clutched their hair.

“I can’t _comprehend_ it!”

Lapis bit her lip, gazing up at the ceiling.

“Maybe they just don’t care,” she said.

Stevonnie didn’t reply, so she took that as an invitation to continue.

“Maybe they just think… well, New Earth’s a ‘problem,’” she continued, “And they have all these humans they took off the Earth, so… maybe they just think of them as resources. I mean, that’s all they cared about in the first colonisation of Earth. Anything else was just… in the way.”

Stevonnie nodded slowly.

“Just things,” they muttered, “How do you get to that point, Lapis? Where you don’t… you just don’t _care?_ ”

Lapis shrugged.

“Well, you just don’t think about it,” she replied, “I mean, not that long ago… _I_ never thought about it. I just… even when I lived in the barn with Peridot, I cared about Steven and basically that was it. I guess it’s _easy_ not to care.”

“Sometimes I just wish I could just teach the Diamonds how to… _feel_ , I guess,” admitted Stevonnie, “Like, the Steven part of me thinks I can, but the Connie part of me thinks I can’t. It’s sorta confusing. Can I change the Diamonds? If I could, should I? Do I even _want_ to?”

They sighed.

“ _Do they deserve it?_ ”

“Well, on one hand, maybe they’ve gone too far,” mused Lapis, “On the other hand, maybe you _can_ change them… like you changed me, I guess.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t put corpses in robots,” said Stevonnie flatly.

“Yeah, true.”

There was a brief silence - then, a small smile crawled onto Stevonnie’s face.

“You _did_ do one thing, though,” they said.

“Wh-what? What did I do?” exclaimed Lapis.

Stevonnie put an arm over her shoulder.

“You stole my heart,” they said.

“I… _aw, you!_ ” Lapis chuckled and blushed as Stevonnie leaned in, giving her a peck on the cheek.

“Sorry,” giggled Stevonnie, “Couldn’t help myself.”

They pulled Lapis into a hug, both breaking into laughter.

“Wanna go out and watch the sunset?” asked Stevonnie, “I think I need that after today.”

“Yeah,” nodded Lapis, “I’d like that… _honey_.”

“Honey?”

“I heard Jeff call Peedee that,” shrugged Lapis, “Is it… is it okay?”

Stevonnie beamed.

“It’s absolutely fine, Lapis…”

* * *

“ _If you two ever do that with the warp drive again, I swear I am leaving this crew!_ ”

“Sorry, Zircon.”

Amethyst suppressed a laugh as she switched off the intercom in the captain’s cabin, slipping her jacket back on as she sat down on her bed. Peridot lay next to her - her own attempt to cover up her laughter had failed completely.

“Okay,” said Amethyst, flopping onto her back, “Next time we do the non-solid warp thing, we tell Zircs first.”

“Yes,” nodded Peridot, “But holy smokes, that was an experience…”

“We gotta do that again some time,” declared Amethyst, “Man, it takes a load off…”

She sighed, blowing a hair out of her face.

“Still _sucks_ , though,” she grunted, “They couldn’t even tell who the guy was, y’know? Can’t even put a name to ‘em…”

Peridot rolled over, snuggling close to Amethyst.

“C’mon, Ames, there’s nothing we can do about it,” she replied, “Why dwell on the memory?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Amethyst sighed, “Can’t dwell.”

She smirked.

“Besides,” she said, “It kills the mood.”

“You know, Ames,” whispered Peridot, “I could stare into your vision spheres _all day…_ ”

“Well, that makes two of us,” replied Amethyst, “But I’d much rather taste those sweet green lips of…”

“ _Captain! Captain! Are you there Captain?_ ”

Amethyst sighed and rolled over.

“Zircon, I’m not gonna turn the warp drive on again, okay?”

“ _No, it’s not that. Peedee just called - do you want me to send him through?_ ”

“Yeah, patch him in, Zircs.”

There was a brief crackle, and the voice on the intercom changed.

“ _Amethyst, it’s Peedee. Lenny thinks she’s worked out where the drone came from._ ”

Amethyst sat up.

“Where?”

“ _A mining colony. Mostly iron ore, titanium, a few metals that didn’t exist on Earth… anyway, if they’re building the drones there, maybe we can knock it out?_ ”

Amethyst grinned.

“Say no more, Peedee,” she declared, “The _Crystal Avenger_ is on the case. Need us to pick a team up?”

“ _No, keep it small. The Home Guard aren’t ready for this yet, and we need to keep ‘em around in case another drone arrives. Grab Stevonnie and Lapis if you need to, but otherwise, keep it quiet._ ”

Amethyst mock saluted.

“On it,” she replied, “Amethyst out.”

The intercom crackled out.

“I suppose we don’t get to snuggle now?” grunted Peridot.

“Nope,” replied Amethyst, “But we get to kick some Homeworld assholes in the butt!”

She grinned, putting an arm around her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“I’d say that’s a pretty good date, huh ‘Dot?”

* * *

The first sign of trouble the Ruby detected was the sudden _tug_ against her collar and a hand over her mouth. She flew back into a dark tunnel of the mine, her four comrades disappearing into the inky blackness. With a loud crash, she was pushed against the wall, a large, growling form filling her vision.

“Don’t hurt me!” she squealed, “Please!”

“Who’s in charge down here?” demanded the figure, her face shrouded in darkness, “And where is she?”

“Please! I don’t want to be here, I hate this place!” the Ruby shouted, “They only sent us here a week ago and it’s dark and it’s _scary_ and all the other Rubies laugh when I say I’m scared and…”

The figure’s grimace disappeared, replaced with a look of bemusement.

“Uh…”

“...I just want to go back to a world where there’s light and it’s _warm_ and…”

“...okay, I…”

“...and now I’m gonna be _shattered_ and I don’t wanna be shattered and…”

“Okay, okay!” The figure chuckled, and the Ruby stopped babbling, “I’m not gonna hurt you, alright? I just need to know who’s in charge right now, alright?”

The Ruby nodded.

“An a-agate,” she replied, “O-Orange Agate.”

The figure nodded, carefully putting down the Ruby.

“Tell you what, Roob,” she said, her voice surprisingly kind, “I’ve got a place for gems who’re sick of all the missions and bowin’ down to the Diamonds. If you want out, follow me.”

The Ruby glanced back down the tunnel, towards where her squad had gone, and then back to the figure. Hesitantly, she nodded.

“Who… who are you though?” she asked.

The figure grinned.

“Name’s Bismuth,” she said, “I’m a Crystal Gem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I go, I'd just like to recommend [this story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17648387) by my very good friend [CaptainJZH](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainJZH/pseuds/CaptainJZH), featuring Lapis and Stevonnie. It's an excellent piece of writing and as far as I'm concerned, it's 100% canon! Read his Titanic AU too!


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mission begins!
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Go *clap* read *clap* her *clap* stuff!

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

Some parts of the universe were exceptionally beautiful, corners of a breathtaking canvas lined by every colour conceivable to the eye, crowded by sprawls of inky oceans, scenic starscapes,  and celestial shapes that boggle the mind and entrance the senses.

The mining colony was _not_ one such place.

The planet was missing chunks, likely the result of overvigerious strip-mining, and what remained was a dull, earthy-brown colour. The poles were tinged with shining ice, but the effect was offset by the miles and miles of metal platforms that marked the main mining areas. It was a dead world, its corpse dismembered and pillaged by the insatiable demand of empire.

To Stevonnie, it felt decidedly… _wrong_.

Amethyst crossed her arms as she regarded the planet.

“Peedee had something a little better than ‘somewhere on this planet’, right?” he asked.

“We’re looking for Platform Gamma,” replied Peridot, “According to the scan, it’s… _here_.”

A holographic display appeared in front of them.

“It’s very new,” she continued, “Started up about ten years ago. There’s a laboratory, a mine and a production facility.”

“So we blow it up?”

“No,” replied Peridot, “Peedee said keep it quiet. We need to sabotage production, but a massive explosion would… _draw attention_.”

Amethyst nodded.

“So make it look like an accident,” she muttered.

“If we staged a mine collapse around where the power generator is,” suggested Peridot, “It would take them a long time to re-establish the tunnels. They’d need to call in Bismuths, rescan for minerals… it could take them months, even years, and while they do that…”

“...we think of our next move,” said Stevonnie.

“Exactly.”

“You’re forgetting something!” snapped Zircon, “We can’t exactly just _land_. Need I remind you all that we’re _pirates?_ ”

Peridot nodded, scratching her chin.

“Amethyst,” she asked at last, “How’s your shapeshifting?”

* * *

“ _Yo!_ Name’s Purple Agate, here to check out the mines!”

“Oh stars, we’re _screwed_ ,” Lapis whispered.

She and Stevonnie were huddled together in a small crate, currently being pushed out of the _Crystal Avenger_ by Peridot. The gem was now wearing limb enhancers, which she had complained dreadfully about - “They remind me of who I _was_.” - and Lapis wondered where they had even come from. Probably a pirate raid, she guessed.

The crate stopped, and a voice replied to Amethyst’s declaration.

“Agate!” It was clearly another Peridot. “I… uh, very good to see you, I didn’t… I didn’t know Blue Diamond wanted the facilities inspected.”

“That’s the point, it’s a _surprise inspection_ ,” replied Amethyst, “I wanna see _everything_ , just so my Diamond is up to date on everything, you know? So, uh, show me around.”

“Of course! I, uh, what’s the crate?”

“What’s the crate? _What’s the crate?_ ” Amethyst affected a scandalised tone. “You don’t get to know that, you… _pebble!_ Just take it into the mine, next to the generator!”

“Y-yes ma’am, of course ma’am!” the Peridot replied hastily, “You! Amethysts! Take this into the mine, now!”

“The mine? You want us to…”

“Yes, _the mine!_ Don’t argue, just go!”

The cart creaked and groaned as it was pushed away, and Lapis was suddenly acutely aware of the distance between themselves and their friends.

“I already hate this,” she whispered.

“It’s okay, Lapis,” replied Stevonnie quietly, “I’m here.”

Awkwardly, they reached out their hand for Lapis to take.

There was a dull mechanical hum, and the light shining through the cracks in the box darkened. Evidently, they had entered the mine.

“I hate coming down here,” one of the Amethysts muttered.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” said the other, “I don’t _care_ what Aquamarine says, there’s a monster in here…”

Lapis shot Stevonnie a meaningful look.

“...monster,” she repeated flatly, “There’s a _monster._ ”

Stevonnie smiled awkwardly.

“Well, maybe it’s just a myth?”

The crate rumbled on for some time, and Lapis curled into a ball, trying to convince herself that Stevonnie was right - that it was _just a myth_ , that the Amethysts were making up a story, that there couldn’t be some kind of subterranean monster on such a dead world. Honestly, the whole thing sounded like something from one of those old videos that had been in the old barn on Earth - _Space Conflicts_ , right? Slowly, she allowed herself to calm down.

There was a sudden, loud _poof_ , and the crate shook violently.

“Oh my stars!” one of the Amethyst’s screamed, “It’s a…”

She trailed off.

“...wait, I know what _you_ are!” she snapped, “You think I can’t handle a B- _oof!_ ”

There was another poof, followed by a sudden, deeply uncomfortable _silence._ Slowly and deliberately, Stevonnie drew their sword, holding it up above them.

The lid suddenly flew open, and an enormous face stared down at them.

“Alright, let’s see what they got…”

The face trailed off. Stevonnie stared up in stunned silence, their eyes wide. Lapis tilted her head - this face was _familiar_ , certainly, but she couldn’t quite place it…

“B… _Bismuth?!_ ”

“ _Stevonnie?!_ ”

Stevonnie jumped up, leaping out of the crate and into the Bismuth’s arms, laughing as they hugged the big gem. The Bismuth laughed back, wrapping her arms tightly around them.

 _Oh_ , Lapis thought, _this must be Bismuth_.

She’d heard of Bismuth, of course - Stevonnie spoke of her regularly. She had been both one of the oldest and newest Crystal Gems, having rejoined the team not long after Lapis had left. She’d never heard a bad thing about her. And yet there was a strange sense of unpleasant… _familiarity_ about her, as if she’d seen her long ago…

“I can’t believe you’re alive!” exclaimed Stevonnie, “I thought…”

“I can’t believe _you’re_ alive!” replied Bismuth, “Guess it takes more than some jarheaded upper-crust to kill you, huh?”

She glanced down the mineshaft at the sound of feet on dirt and grabbed Stevonnie’s shoulder.

“We’ll catch up in a ‘sec,” she declared, “Right now, I reckon we’ve gotta hide…”

* * *

“Welcome to the main labs, Agate,” the Peridot - 4DT - said officiously, “Normally, Aquamarine would be breathing down our necks right now, but she’s off giving a report, so we’ve got the place to ourselves…”

“Are you engaging in _personal rivalry_ , 4DT?” asked Peridot, winking at Amethyst, “Would Blue Diamond approve of that?”

“I… uh, um, I…”

Amethyst chuckled as the Peridot stammered, before shaking her head and returning to ‘official mode’.

“Anyway, there are two major research and development areas here,” she explained, “The Drone Project and the main Project Chrysalis floor.”

Amethyst pursed her lips.

“What’s the difference?” she asked.

“Shouldn’t you know…”

“It’s a _test_.”

4DT nodded.

“The-the Drone Project is effectively the run off,” she explained, “The failed test subjects were sent there for conversion into drones so that they wouldn’t be a complete waste… and as of a few cycles ago, test subjects have been moved from the Zoo and from Blue Diamond’s storage to bolster drone numbers.”

Amethyst frowned.

“That’s…”

_Disgusting. Horrific. Appalling. Monstrous._

“...interesting,” she said, “So you make ‘em into robots.”

“‘Cyborg’ would be the correct term, but yes,” replied 4DT, “But they’re nothing compared to the significance of Chrysalis.”

“And can you explain that?” asked Peridot, barely disguising the unease in her voice.

“White Diamond recognises the… _potential effectivity_ of the human consciousness, despite it’s _inferior_ organic housing,” said 4DT, “It is surprisingly adaptable and capable of learning. With the right… upgrades and indoctrination, that consciousness could be of use to the empire.”

She shrugged.

“Now _my_ diamond questions the use of all this, but White Diamond asks, you don’t say no,” she continued, “And I must admit, the whole process has been fascinating, perhaps even… _fun_.”

A distinctly _red_ feeling flashed through Amethyst and she fought the urge to throttle 4DT where she stood.

“In any case, the Chrysalis lab is off-limits to those without White Diamond’s approval,” continued 4DT, “But I can show you some of the Drone Production Lines. This way…”

Amethyst and Peridot glanced at each other as they followed 4DT through the Drone Project Door, trying to ignore the strange _stench_ that wafted out of the dark room beyond…

* * *

“Welcome to my home sweet home, Stevonnie!”

Bismuth extended her arms as they walked into a small cave. It had been a brief walk, but a difficult one - through a crack in the wall, over a broken bridge and through an abandoned, half-collapsed mine shaft. The little room they found themselves was surprisingly homey - small relics decorated the walls; faded photographs, carvings in the rock face, a hastily built cot and…

“A Ruby?” quizzed Lapis.

The little Ruby huddled in the corner looked up.

“Please don’t hurt me!” she squealed, pressing herself up against the wall. As her legs scurried on the dirt floor, Stevonnie caught sight of her gem - their eyes widened.

“Leggy?!”

“L… Leggy?”

The little Ruby looked down at the gem on her leg, and then back up at Stevonnie.

“You’re… the Crystal Gem human!” she exclaimed, “We played the Base Ball with you!”

She paused, then smiled brightly.

“That was fun!”

“Wait, you two know each other?” asked Bismuth, glancing from Stevonnie to Leggy.

“Yeah,” nodded Stevonnie, “She’s from the Ruby Squad!”

“Like Navy was?” quizzed Lapis warily.

“Yeah, but… I don’t think she’s like Navy, Laps,” said Stevonnie, “She’s just a little…”

“Wait wait wait wait wait, ‘ _Laps?!’_ ” Bismuth’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that… is that a pet name?”

Stevonnie and Lapis glanced at each other, blushing furiously.

“Oh… my… _gosh!_ ” Bismuth laughed out loud. “Are you two… a Lapis Lazuli? Dang, Stevonnie, you’ve got taste… and if _you’re_ dating…”

“Bismuth, I…” Stevonnie stammered.

“...it means you’re fused _full time!_ ” exclaimed Bismuth, pulling Stevonnie into a hug, “Oh, if Garnet could see you now…”

“Actually,” replied Stevonnie, “She has.”

Bismuth let go of them, stepping back - their eyes were wide. For the first time, Stevonnie had a moment to regard their new form - the old apron remained, but she now wore black gloves. Her shoulders, elbows, knees and thighs were lightly armoured with purple metal pauldrons - her shoulder pads were decorated with blue stars.

“...she’s…”

“Yep,” replied Stevonnie, “She’s okay. And so’s Amethyst and Peridot.”

Bismuth smiled, eyes lighting up.

“You mean… the Crystal Gems are back?!” she exclaimed, “All of them? I…”

Her face fell.

“...you didn’t say Pearl.”

Stevonnie nodded sadly.

“We don’t know where she is,” they replied, “I… I’m sorry, Bismuth.”

There was a long silence.

“Well, I guess beggars can’t be choosers, right?” said Bismuth at last, “I mean, if you’re alive, then… then maybe…”

She shook her head.

“Let’s not think about it,” she decided at last, “So, ‘Vonnie, Lapis; you wouldn’t have come here unless something’s up, so why don’t you tell me what it is and we can get down to Bismuth!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She back, everyone.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back in Bismuth.
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Her Voltron AU, star-crossed, is now finished and well worth a read.

**Chapter Forty**

Stevonnie cast their gaze over the frames that decorated Bismuth’s home. Some were small and pristinely kept, others large and tattered and faded with age, and others still so tiny they looked almost like scraps tacked to the wall. There hardly seemed to be any rhyme or reason to the collection at first glance, but upon a more thoughtful inspection, a pattern began to emerge.

The photos and carvings were all of the Crystal Gems.

There were pictures of Steven and Connie as they grew up, of them hanging around in the old Beach House, old birthdays and holidays and…

Their eyes fell on a picture of Greg for a moment, and a lump formed in their throat.

“Still stings, even after all this time.”

They turned. Bismuth had walked up behind, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at the photos.

“Where’d you get these?” asked Stevonnie.

Bismuth sighed.

“They were Pearl’s,” she replied, “She kept them in her gem. We… we got seperated when we were escaping the Diamonds, and…”

She sighed heavily.

“She insisted I take some,” she finished, “In case anything happened to her. Because… they were precious to her, y’know.”

“ _Are_ precious,” said Stevonnie, “We don’t know if she…”

“If she was still around, Stevonnie, she’d have found one of us,” interrupted Bismuth, “She’d never give up until she did. So either she’s gone or…”

“Bismuth…”

“I like to think she took a few down with her,” continued Bismuth, her voice wavering slightly, “Terrifying Renegade Pearl to the end, you know?”

She sighed.

“I _hoped_ for so long,” she muttered, “I’m not… I don’t want to tear that bandage off again.”

Stevonnie felt a prick beneath their skin at the suggestion -- at the implication that Bismuth, _Bismuth_ of all people, would have given up hope in ever finding Pearl.

Were they naive for thinking otherwise? Were they ungrateful to have been so lucky to have found Lapis, and then Amethyst and Peridot, and Garnet, after them, and all of the humans on New Earth -- was it _selfish_ of them to hope for Pearl to come back to them someday?

The idea that she was -- that she could really be **_gone_** \- made some part of their body freeze over, ice running in place of blood through their veins.

"A-Anyway," Bismuth cleared her throat, pulling the fusion from their thoughts. "We gotta knock out this generator. I know where it is - won’t be too hard, especially with your friend Lapis around.”

She leaned in, smirking.

“By the way, _nice catch_ ,” she murmured.

“ _Bismuth!_ ” Stevonnie blushed furiously, and Bismuth grinned.

* * *

The generator wasn’t far, but to walk there directly would be to run into every patrol and worker in the mine. As a result, they took what she dubbed as the ‘scenic’ route, which translated roughly though old tunnels and along lesser-used walkways, dark paths and craggly, uneven stones lining their way. Bismuth took the lead with Leggy on one shoulder and a sack carrying her old photos on the other - Stevonnie and Lapis took up the rear.

“So, how are we gonna do this?” whispered Stevonnie.

“It won’t be easy,” replied Bismuth, “The thing’s pretty advanced, so we can’t just shut it off. We’re gonna have to use a more… _direct approach_.”

“Direct approach?”

Bismuth shifted her hand into a hammer.

“Right, right… but won’t they know it’s been sabotaged if we do that?” asked Stevonnie.

“Not if they think it was an accident,” replied Bismuth, “We’re gonna stage a cave-in - bring the roof down on it, and then slip out while everyone’s panicking. You guys _do_ have a ship, right?”

“The _Crystal Avenger_ , yeah,” Stevonnie nodded.

“It’s pretty okay,” shrugged Lapis.

Bismuth grinned.

“Then we’ve already got our ticket out of here,” she replied.

“You’re coming with us?” asked Lapis, “You… don’t wanna stay? Isn’t this your home?”

“This?” scoffed Bismuth, “This place is a _dump!_ I wanna get out of here, find somewhere I can build a proper forge again. Plus, I wanna see the old squad!”

She sighed.

“Well, what’s left of it.”

“Wait.” She held up her arm, and they all froze, immediately tense.

“I hear something.”

Just around the corner, they could hear a quiet voice - an Aquamarine.

“...m-mining is continuing at an excellent pace… j-just ask 4DT or-or 1GL, I…”

“Aquamarine 1GL has informed us that all mining quotas are down. You are the overseer, are you not?”

Bismuth grimaced.

“I know that voice,” she hissed.

“Who is it?” asked Stevonnie.

“Saw her during the escape,” replied Bismuth, “It’s White Diamond’s Pearl.”

Stevonnie swallowed.

“This project cannot afford to be delayed,” White Diamond’s Pearl continued, “White Diamond knows you are doing your best, but it’s simply not enough. This requires a more personal touch.”

“Personal… I don’t understand, what does White Diamond mean by-”

A white flash suddenly lit the tunnel, and a terrible scream echoed through the caverns. In a twisted way, Stevonnie was glad it was so loud -- the volume managed to mask their own gasp, the sound involuntary and horrified besides.

“What did she _do_?” whispered Lapis.

Bismuth’s frown deepened.

“No idea,” she replied.

“There,” White Diamond’s Pearl said, her tone cosseting and dripping with false concern. “That should go a long way towards solving the problem. Don’t you feel _better_ now, overseer?”

There was a brief silence.

“Yes.” The voice that replied sounded just about _identical_ to the Pearl’s, “Much better. You can _tell_ White Diamond that there will be no more delays.”

“Good. Shall we inspect the Rubies, then?”

“Yes, I think they need to be… _reminded_ of the consequences of failure.”

Bismuth waited a few seconds. There were no footsteps, but no more words - slowly, she leaned around the corner and nodded.

“Coast’s clear, gems,” she hissed.

“What was that?” asked Lapis as they scurried further down the tunnel, “Why was she talking to herself? What happened to the Aquamarine?”

“Don’t know,” replied Bismuth, “Don’t wanna know. Let’s get this done…”

Lapis and Stevonnie shared a concerned glance, but there was no time to stew on the issue for now. There was a job to be done, after all…

* * *

The generator didn’t look like any that Stevonnie had ever seen.

It was a ball, about the size of the old Dondai, sitting in a small cavern at the side of the tunnel. Cables ran out of the innuicious device, likely routing electricity through the mine and perhaps even to the laboratory above. Gathered around it were a trio of bored-looking Ruby guards, while a Jasper leaned against the wall next to them.

“Man, you gotta hear some o’ these long-timers,” one of the Rubies muttered, “Oooh, there’s a _monster_ down here! They’ve been down here so long they’re not getting enough light…”

“Nah,” grunted another, “They’re trying to scare us. ‘Cause we’re _new_.”

“I don’t know,” the third Ruby mused, “Squad X-13 lost a Ruby and…”

“Rubies are dime a dozen,” snorted the Jasper, “Probably tripped on a rock and fell into a chasm. I mean, no offense, but you Rubies just aren’t that bright…”

“I am _so_ bright,” whispered the Ruby on Bismuth’s shoulder.

“Yeah, don’t let ‘em get you down, Legs,” nodded Bismuth, “Alright, I’ll handle the big one. Lapis, Stevonnie, deal with the Rubies. Let’s try to keep it quick and quiet.”

“I don’t have a sword, is that gonna be a problem?” asked Stevonnie.

“You got a shield, right?”

Stevonnie nodded.

“Then you’ll do fine,” said Bismuth, “Okay, on three… one… two… three!”

Bismuth burst out of the shadows, charging towards the Homeworld guards.

“Oh hey, a Bismuth!” said one of the Rubies, “Are you lost? I-”

She was cut off as Stevonnie’s shield swung through her, poofing her form before swinging on into the sentry next to her. Before the third Ruby could respond, Lapis was on her - a water wing burst from her gem and formed into a fist, swinging straight into the little red gem and poofing her too.

The Jasper opened her mouth to cry out, but Bismuth slammed her into the wall before she could say a word. She pinned her, arm over her neck, the other hand forming into a sickle.

“When you reform, you keep your mouth shut about this,” she hissed, “Or you’ll get another visit from the _Crystal Gems._ ”

She sliced the orange gem with her sickle-hand, and the gemstone fell the the ground quietly as her form  released, leaving behind only a rust-toned cloud of smoke.

“Bismuth,” said Stevonnie.

“What? I wouldn’t _shatter_ her! I’d just… find her and punch her a bunch of times.”

Bismuth turned around, looking thoughtfully at the generator.

“Okay, so overloading this is going to require _care_ and _thought_ ,” she mused, “After all, we can’t just _wreck_ such a fine piece of Diamond property…”

Slowly, her face twisted into a grin, and Stevonnie smirked in kind.

“Oh yeah,” Stevonnie nodded, “It’d be a shame if _this_ happened…”

They lifted their shield and slammed it into the generator, causing a massive crack to open up on its surface. The machine sparked and crackled, a decidedly _unhealthy_ groan filling the air.

“Nice,” nodded Bismuth, “Very nice. So, how ‘bout you lead on to your ship?”

* * *

“...as you can see, the material has been put to good use.”

If Amethyst could vomit, she’d have been sick a hundred times. What she had seen in those bright, sterile corridors defied comprehension - rows of ‘resources’ lined up, each ‘disassembled’ and ‘augmented’ with gem technology. 4DT described everything in mechanical terms - ‘upgrade to the basic structure’ - ‘replacing old, outmoded material’ - ‘fashioning state-of-the-art weaponry.’ She was glad to be out into the little command room - away from that _smell._

“The process is efficient, it gives a use for superfluous organic material, and it provides us with a cheap and effective drone,” 4DT finished, “What do you think?”

 _It’s murder,_ Amethyst thought. She struggled to come up with a reply, tempted to shatter this Peridot, this unfeeling _parody_ of a gem, where she stood, the sickness within her drowned by a quiet _rage._

She opened her mouth to reply, but never got a word out. There was a loud, rumbling _boom_ , and the floor shook. Amethyst watched with some satisfaction as 4DT tumbled to the ground.

 _AROOOOOO! AROOOOOO!_ A siren began to wail.

“What the- what in the stars was that?!” demanded 4DT.

“Explosion in the mines!” another Peridot looked up from her console, “The generator’s gone up - everything’s caving in!”

“ _What?!_ ” 4DT ran over, leaning over the other Peridot, “Who did this?!”

“We don’t know,” replied the Peridot, “It could be an instrument failure… I…”

“Evacuate the tunnels!” ordered 4DT, “And if there’s a culprit, I want her found!”

Amethyst glanced at Peridot and nodded.

“Well, 4DT, I need to be leaving,” she said, “I’ll be sure to mention you to My Diamond.”

“About my good work in the lab?”

“No, about the generator blowing up,” replied Amethyst (she repressed the urge to smirk as 4DT squirmed), “Peridot, let’s go.”

“Yes, my Agate,” nodded Peridot, “Have fun cleaning all this up, 4DT!”

They were already marching out of the room before 4DT could reply.

* * *

Amethyst pelted into onto the bridge, Peridot right behind her - she was still in her Agate form and was starting to feel the strain. Blue Zircon opened her mouth as they entered, but Amethyst was talking before she could say anything.

“Zircs, are ‘Vonnie n’ Lapis back?”

“They just got in,” replied Zircon, “They need to talk to you about-”

“Cool, I’ll talk when we get outta here,” said Amethyst, “Get us airborne?”

Peridot jumped into her seat, immediately seeing a flashing light.

“They’re hailing us,” she warned, “I don’t think we have take-off clearance.”

“Arrgh! Put ‘em through!”

Peridot pressed the button, and a flustered-looking Nephrite appeared on screen.

“ _What’re you doing?_ ” she demanded, “4DT just put us on lockdown, you can’t-”

“I have special clearance from Blue Diamond, mac,” replied Amethyst.

_“I-you do?”_

“Uh-huh,” nodded Amethyst, “She even gave me a special gesture to let people know who I am. 4DT questions ya, just give it to her.”

_“And what is it, ma’am?”_

Amethyst raised her hands and extended two middle fingers.

 _“I’ll make sure she gets the message, ma’am,”_ nodded Nephrite, _“Take-off clearance granted.”_

The screen vanished.

“Captain, do we take-”

“ _Book it, Zircon!_ ” shouted Amethyst, glowing white as she finally returned to her normal form.

The _Crystal Avenger_ shot upwards - far more quickly than it perhaps should have. Zircon slammed on the warp - it twisted and swirled as the warp drive engaged, sending the ship hurtling to light-speed, away from the terrible planet and into deep space.

Amethyst slumped on her chair, mopping her brow.

“Never,” she said, “I am _never_ going anywhere like that again.”

“Amethyst…” Peridot began.

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” snapped Amethyst, “I don’t wanna be calm right now. Because if I’m not _mad,_ I’ll just… I’ll just…”

“Penny for your thoughts, Ames?”

“Go away, Bismuth, I’m not…”

She trailed off. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned around in her chair.

Bismuth stood at the door to the bridge, a big, somewhat awkward smile on her face and her arms extended in front of her. Behind her stood Stevonnie, grinning broadly, and Lapis, whose expression seemed a little more _conflicted_.

“What?” asked Bismuth, “Did’ja think they could take me down?”

“Amethyst?” said Peridot, “Am I hallucinating or is that-”

“ _Bismuth!_ ”

Amethyst leapt out of her chair, sprinting across the bridge and into Bismuth’s arms.

For a moment, the horrors she had seen were exiled from her mind. As she - and soon Peridot - embraced their old friend, she felt a piece of her heart return to her, one she had barely registered as lost anymore, but made her feel so much more complete now she had it back.

Homeworld might have been horrible, but it felt so _invigorating_ to be reminded that there was still something good in the galaxy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's probably not as subtle as I think it is, but I modeled 4DT off of a number of historical people - I think the most obvious one is probably Eichmann. Basically, a dispassionate professional doing horrific things because it's her job. Also, there's a lot of Wolfenstein influences, because I do like those games.
> 
> And before I forget, needforsuv very kindly wrote [this](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17765705) Valentines Day fic about Lapis and Stevonnie. I recommend you check it out!


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Home again!
> 
> Special thanks as always to [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. READ *clap* HER *clap* STUFF!

**Chapter Forty-One**

“So.” Peedee’s voice carried a dangerous edge to it, one Stevonnie could only recall hearing a small number of times. Most recently, when his husband’s life was in jeopardy.  “They’re making humans into drones.”

They had met Jeff, Peedee and Lenny right off the ramp - the Mayor wanted an update as soon as possible. Amethyst had just finished explaining her nightmarish tour of the lab - she’d left out some of the more gruesome details. The implications were enough.

“Well, thank God the HR’s gone,” sighed Jeff, “Can you imagine if they’d learned about that?”

“What’s our next move, Peeds?” asked Amethyst, “We’re not gonna take this lying down, right?”

“We’re gonna tell our scavengers to keep their ears to the ground,” replied Peedee, “If they can find any more information about Chrysalis, you’ll be the first to know. In the meantime, we’ve gotta prepare the Home Guard.”

“So we’ll go back and hit ‘em where it hurts?” asked Bismuth.

“When we’re ready,” replied Jeff, “Which won’t be for a while.”

“We-we don’t have enough… enough weapons,” added Lenny, “And… and training is… they’re not ready. T-they’re _very_ not ready.”

Bismuth nodded.

“Well, I can help you with the first part,” she said, “Just need to set up a forge and I’m good to go!”

She scratched her chin.

“That said,” she added, “Reckon I’m gonna go find an old friend first. Where’s Garnet?”

“Right here.”

Jeff and Peedee stepped aside to reveal Garnet walking towards them, an enormous grin on her face. Without even stopping, she passed by the two humans and held up her hand. With a big grin of her own, Bismuth took it, only to tug her forward and throw her other arm over Garnet’s shoulder, a hug exchanged between old comrades.

“I knew someone was coming,” said Garnet, “But I thought it was just this cutie.”

She glanced down at Leggy, who was somewhat nervously hiding behind Bismuth’s leg.

“Heh, call it a surprise, then,” chuckled Bismuth, “You wanna show me ‘round this place? What is it, New Earth? Heard you even have _penthouses_ here…”

Jeff shot Stevonnie a meaningful look - they chuckled and shrugged.

* * *

Lapis elected not to join them for the tour - she’d seen most of what New Earth had to offer, after all. Jeff and Peedee didn’t press the issue, instead inviting her back to their apartment.

Actually seeing the thing made Jeff’s claim that it wasn’t a penthouse even less believable - there was a wide plane of glass, almost the entire length of the living room wall, that overlooked the rest of New Earth. In another room, they had a ‘repurposed extraction device’ for cleaning off.

“It’s a hot tub,” whispered Peedee when Jeff was out of earshot, “It’s basically a hot tub.”

“Why don’t you just say that, then?” asked Lapis.

Peedee shrugged.

“Jeff gets uncomfortable about… I guess, feeling like he deserves anything special?” he replied, “He’s pretty humble, y’know?”

He grinned.

“He only accepted the tub because I told him it was his birthday present.”

The warmth in Peedee’s expression began to vanish, and suddenly he looked almost wistful.

“We’ve _made_ it, you know,” he said, “It took thirty years, but… it’s almost like Earth.”

He sighed, sitting down on his couch.

“And yet, it’s nothing like Earth.”

Lapis nodded but said nothing.

It took awhile for the tour to end, and eventually Jeff and Peedee grew bored of waiting. They retired to their bedroom to ‘snuggle’, and Lapis found herself alone on the couch, reading a very old, dog-eared comic that Jeff had left on the table. She had only picked it up for stimulation, but it turned out to be surprisingly good…

The door opened, and Lapis jumped, dropping the comic.

“...you’ve got a real nice thing going here,” Bismuth was saying as she walked in, “Set me up with a forge, and I reckon I can… oh, sorry Lapis.”

Lapis was on the floor, picking up the comic, still looking a tad startled.

“Oh, uh, it… um…” Lapis stood back up, shaking her head. “It’s fine, I just, uh… it’s fine.”

Stevonnie stepped out from behind Bismuth and grinned.

“Sorry we kept you waiting,” they said, “We had a lot to show Bismuth, y’know?”

“No, it’s, uh, it’s fine,” replied Lapis, “I was just, uh… reading.”

The door to the bedroom swung open, and Jeff and Peedee emerged, the latter yawning and stretching.

“Oh, hey guys,” he said, “Sorry, we got pretty comfy there. Almost didn’t hear you come in.”

“Where’s Garnet?” asked Jeff.

“She’s talking to Lenny about finding a place for me to rebuild the ol’  forge,” replied Bismuth, “I wanna get it set up as soon as possible. Give Homeworld something to think about…”

Jeff nodded.

As she and Stevonnie settled down to talk to with Jeff and Peedee, Lapis found herself wandering over to the bedroom in search of privacy. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Bismuth - it was that she didn’t _know_ Bismuth yet, and wasn’t quite ready to be so… _familiar_ with her. A quick shared glance and a nod told her that Stevonnie seemed to understand.

She sat in the room, occupying the edge of the bed as she finished reading. It didn’t take long - the comic wasn’t especially lengthy - and she’d soon set it on the bedside table.

Her distraction discarded, Lapis regarded the bed she was sitting on. If she was honest, she’d expected there to be _two_ \- one for Jeff and one for Peedee - but that was silly, she supposed. They were together, right? That meant they shared.

An idea struck her.

She climbed off the bed and walked out into the main room.

“I think I’m gonna warp home,” she said, “There’s something I want to do.”

Stevonnie stood up, looking somewhat concerned.

“Is everything okay, Lapis?” they asked.

“Everything’s fine,” replied Lapis, “I just… gotta do things, y’know?”

“I get’cha,” nodded Bismuth, “Nice meetin’ ya, Lapis.”

Lapis nodded.

“I… nice meeting you too, Bismuth.”

“See you again soon?” asked Bismuth.

Lapis paused for a moment, biting her lip.

“Yeah,” she said at last, fixing her expression with a wary smile. “See you again soon.”

* * *

It wasn’t until late afternoon on the island when Stevonnie finally warped home.

They strolled merrily down the beach, a spring in their step. Sure, the drones and Project Chrysalis troubled them - that went without saying - but they had Bismuth back, and they’d made a significant dent in Homeworld’s plans. That, if nothing else, was something to smile about.

They entered the barn.

“Lapis, I’m home! I…”

They trailed off.

Lapis was laying a green blanket on top of a mattress - a bigger one, most likely taken from their junk pile. She looked up as Stevonnie entered, her face lit up by a blush as she stood up straight.

“I, uh…” she scratched the back of her head, “I saw how Jeff and Peedee… uh… _snuggle_ , and I thought maybe…”

“You want us to sleep together?”

Lapis bit her lip.

“Yes,” she said, “I… I’d like that.”

Stevonnie smiled.

“I think I’d like that too,” they replied.

They walked over, gently pulling Lapis into a hug and kissing her on the cheek.

“I’d like that a lot.”

Across the length of their little planet, the yellow sun bled out into the horizon, clouds and streaks of bluish-green rubbed into the edge of a canvas like turquoise charcoal. That solitary starburst of colour, something that had been solely _theirs_ for nearly twenty years, had never felt like such a comfort, ripe with all the emotion of an old friend waving goodbye as it dipped into rich ebony night. The ending was not bittersweet, but hopeful, _promising_ of its return in the morning, a promise that it would continue to keep so long as they kept calling this place home.

And out, beyond their private corner of the universe, outside of the life they’d built on their island, lay a reality that seemed to grow stranger and darker every day, but for now, they existed in the fortress of each other’s embrace, an impenetrable bastion of mutual respect, affection and love.

Project Chrysalis could be dealt with tomorrow. For now, all that mattered was them.

“I love you, Lapis,” Stevonnie muttered drowsily, their eyes closed as they pulled Lapis slightly closer.

Lapis smiled, closing her own eyes.

“I love you too, Stevonnie.”

And with that, she drifted off into peaceful, warm slumber in her partner’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm back at Uni today, so updates for this might be a tad slower in the coming weeks. Sorry about that guys.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait - Uni has been monopolising my time, and I've also been distracted by other projects, but now that I'm back into the swing of things I can hopefully work out a little more writing time.
> 
> Special thanks as always to my good friend [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. She's a good bean - one of the best beans.

**Chapter Forty-Two**

It didn’t take long for the forge to be established - a month, give or take.

And then, just as quickly, the Home Guard was being issued new weapons, straight from Bismuth’s hearth to their armouries. Bismuth wasn’t entirely on board with ‘guns’ - “They’re just not the same, y’know?” - but she was perfectly capable of making them and making them well. And for those Guards that preferred them, she soon had swords and spears and maces aplenty. One in particular took priority.

“Thought you could use this,” Bismuth had said, presenting Stevonnie with the new sword. It was slightly shorter than Rose’s, with a gold plated, star-shaped hilt.

“It’s perfect!” Stevonnie replied, stars in their eyes as they pulled the blacksmith into a hug.

Months went by, and there were no additional arrivals of drones on New Earth. Despite this, paranoia and unease ran rampant. Jeff was particularly concerned about how Homeworld had known where to send the first drone - was it sent by some regional commander? Or did Homeworld know of them? And if so, why not simply destroy them? Their defenses, even after the foundation of the Home Guard, were a joke and would make one hell of a punchline against Homeworld’s might, were they to attack. Homeworld technology could slice right through the repurposed vessels of the Human Resistance and crush them like ants.

This very real, but very terrifying, insecurity in New Earth’s approach of defense left them unacceptably vulnerable. There must be a contingency _plan_ , Jeff had decided.

Weapons weren’t enough. They needed ships, and they needed them now. The bismuths and peridots were gathered, and Bismuth, Lenny, C and X were put in charge of designing and producing new warships to defend New Earth. Even Captain Franks was dragged out of obscurity to help. A permanent Council of War was set up to plan strategy.

It never sat easy with Jeff.

“It feels like I’m forming an army,” he lamented to Peedee.

“Well yeah,” nodded Peedee, “You kind of are? But that doesn’t mean you’re not  doing the right thing.”

A year passed. And then another, and another.

Shortly before the first new ship was finished, Captain Franks died, lonely and bitter. Doctor West retired as head doctor, replaced by a Ruby who went by Ceara. People born immediately after the destruction of Earth were now in their twenties. It was a time of change, where the new filled leadership roles as the old began to fade away.

Despite it all, Stevonnie held out hope that some echoes of their past may still be out there, somewhere in the vast cosmos.

They’d forgotten the old maxim - ‘be careful what you wish for.’

* * *

“We’ve found a hulk, and it belongs to Pink Diamond.”

The words hung over Jeff’s Penthouse, and for a few minutes there was dead silence.

“So… a wrecked ship?” asked Amethyst.

“No, a giant green man,” replied Jeff testily, “Yes, it’s a wrecked ship!”

Amethyst raised her eyebrows, and Jeff sighed.

“Sorry,” he sighed, “My leg’s acting up today.”

“Did you break it?” asked Stevonnie, concerned.

“Nah, it’s just… something that happens,” Jeff shrugged, “Think it’s just a ‘getting old’ thing.”

“How old are you again?” asked Lapis.

“Lapis, you’re not supposed to ask humans how old they are! It reminds them of the inevitability of death!” Peridot scolded.

Jeff smiled.

“It’s okay,” he replied, “I’m fifty-one.”

“ _Fifty-one?_ ”

Stevonnie clutched their head.

“Oh my gosh, I _completely_ lost track of… did I miss your birthday?” they exclaimed, “Do I need to…”

“Stevonnie, it’s fine,” interrupted Peedee, “It’s all good. We don’t really do birthdays anymore, anyway. They, uh, lose their charm after forty.”

“Can we get back to the hulk, Petey?” asked Lapis.

Peedee raised an eyebrow.

“Huh, that was actually pretty close,” he said, “Anyway, some kind of Pink Diamond ship is just floating around a few star systems from here. We want to see if there’s anything salvageable on it, but there could be security systems or gem-operated tech, so we need you guys to escort our salvage team.”

“Who’s on the team?” asked Amethyst.

“Jenny,” replied Jeff, “And a couple of Home Guards. It’ll be one of their first missions off New Earth, so don’t go too hard on them.”

“So I take it the inflight movie can’t be _Alien_ , then…”

“Well, it can, but you’ve gotta cut out all the bits with the Alien,” Jeff shrugged.

He turned to Stevonnie.

“You gonna be okay with this?” he asked, “I mean, it did belong to your mom…”

Stevonnie swallowed and nodded.

“Yeah,” they said, “I’ll be fine.”

* * *

It was an odd-looking ship - a giant pink pyramid with smooth sides and a flat top, not unlike the prism where Steven had gone on one of his first missions long, long ago. For a derelict, the hull was in surprisingly good shape. The paint was still perfect, there was no dust - the only sign of anything amiss was the giant hole in one of the sides. According to Zircon, most of the ship still had oxygen.

Inside was a very different story.

Stevonnie trudged through the dark corridor, flashlight in their hand - Jenny and Lapis were right behind them, with the Home Guards, Amethyst and Peridot taking the rear. It was cold and nearly pitch black, the sides smooth and lifeless, the only sound the echoing of their footsteps. The boots of the three Home Guards clacked on the hard floor, and the inexperienced soldiers exchanged nervous glances. Even Amethyst and Peridot looked unsettled.

“I’ve seen creepy wrecks before,” whispered Amethyst, “But this might be the worst.”

“Then you gotta go on scavenging missions more,” replied Jenny, “This isn’t even in the top five scariest places I’ve been.”

“Or I could, y’know, _not_ scavenge,” said Amethyst, “‘Cause, you know, I’d rather take on Homeworld then some monster with eighty legs and a thousand butts…”

“Lapis,” whispered Stevonnie, “Is there any water here?”

Lapis shook her head.

“I can’t sense any,” she replied.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” nodded Stevonnie.

“Well, it’s a hulk, right?” shrugged Lapis, “So there’s probably nothing-”

_CLANG!_

Lapis jumped, clutching Stevonnie’s arm as they swung around to the source of the sudden sound. There was a long, long silence.

“Uh… I tripped,” said one of the Home Guards (an orange Pearl) sheepishly, “Sorry.”

“Bloody hell, Orange, I nearly shat meself!” snapped another, “I’m on edge enough as it is without havin’ to worry about some kind a’ _fuckin’ facehugger_ …”

“Alright, that’s enough Johnson,” the third Home Guard said, “Everybody stay focused.”

They walked in silence for some time. There was no change in scenery - Stevonnie would have been afraid of getting lost if the corridor hadn’t been perfectly straight. It seemed to lead somewhere, somewhere in the deepest, darkest depths of the ship - they wondered if they wanted to know what it was.

“See anything worth taking?” whispered Jenny.

“Nothing,” replied Peridot, “This design is _wrong_. The hull looks like a standard Type-72 Colony Ship, but this… I’ve never seen anything like this. It… it’s just a hallway. It doesn’t make _sense._ What would Pink Diamond do with a ship like this?”

“Don’t know,” replied Stevonnie.

They bit their lip.

“Don’t wanna know…”

* * *

What Stevonnie didn’t know was that they were by no means alone on the ship. On the other side of the vessel, in another corridor, another team was making their way to the centre of the ship.

“Captain Lars?” asked Left-Rutile, “How much further do you think we need to walk?”

“I dunno,” shrugged Lars, shining the flashlight ahead, “But there’s gotta be good salvage here, right?”

“How did Fluorite get out of this?” muttered Right-Rutile.

“She couldn’t fit in the hallway,” replied Lars.

“Keep quiet,” hissed Jasper, “We might not be alone.”

“Who else is gonna be on this wreck?” grunted Lars.

Before long, they found themselves approaching a door. Only half of it was closed - the other half was twisted and mangled, sparks raining down from the roof. The Rutiles nervously glanced at each other, and Lars swallowed.

“Good thing this ship has been wrecked for eons,” he said, “Or I’d be pretty freaked right now.”

Lars, the Rutiles and Padparadscha slipped through the doorway, Jasper taking up the rear. She halted, studying the warped door closely, hand on her chin.

“Hmm…”

Beyond the door was a small chamber, about the size of a modest house - at the centre of the room was a floating sphere that shone a marble white under Lars’ flashlight. It was completely dormant, perfectly, eerily still, and Lars found himself swallowing again.

“Hmm,” said Left-Rutile.

“Odd,” added Right-Rutile.

“What is it, twins?” asked Lars.

“It looks like an observation orb,” explained Left-Rutile.

“...but why would they build an entire ship just for this?” added Right-Rutile.

“I predict we’ll find an observation orb!” exclaimed Padparadscha.

“Yeah, thanks Paddy,” nodded Lars, “I…”

There was a metallic scraping, and Lars jumped. Swinging to the right, his eyes widened as he saw a door slowly being forced open.

“Shit, company,” he whispered, drawing his blaster, “Stay behind me, guys, I…”

What remained of the door was torn open.

“Shit! Contact!” somebody screamed.

“Hold it! It’s human! It’s just Lars!”

Lars raised an eyebrow as Jenny, Stevonnie and Lapis stepped out of the gloom.

“What do you mean, _it’s just Lars?_ ” he demanded, “I could take you guys!”

“Sure, whatever,” said Jenny flatly, “What’re you doing here?”

“Lookin’ for salvage,” replied Lars, “Never know what you might need. You?”

“Same,” replied Stevonnie.

They smiled.

“It’s good to see you again, Lars.”

“I… yeah, sure,” nodded Lars, “You too. So, did you find anything?”

Behind the trio, Amethyst, Peridot and the Home Guards emerged through the door. Amethyst looked up, shooting a skeptical look towards the giant orb.

“Nope,” replied Lapis, “Just a big hallway.”

“Captain.”

All eyes fell on Jasper.

“The dent in the door,” she said, “It’s new. Someone got here before us.”

“What?” demanded Lars, “I… how new?!”

“Captain!”

Padparadscha spoke up, her voice underlined with panic.

“What is it, Paddy?” asked Stevonnie.

“I’ve had a terrible prediction!” exclaimed Padparadscha, “We cannot go aboard this ship!”

“Uh… and why would that be?” asked Lars nervously. He noted his throat seemed to be somewhat _dry_.

“Because it’s not a Pink Diamond ship,” said Padparadscha, “It’s not a ship at all. _It’s a trap._ ”

* * *

Zircon looked up from her seat on the bridge - her book was pretty interesting (she’d probably never own a ‘Camaro’, but it was a nice read) but she felt the need to check on the derelict every now and then. Just in case something happened.

Her jaw dropped.

The pink hull of the ship was changing colour; the paint seemed to _bleach_ , getting brighter and brighter, until suddenly Zircon was staring at a great white pyramid.

...a great _white_ pyramid.

Frantically, she reached for the communicator on her console.

“Captain Amethyst! You have to get out of there, now!”

* * *

There was a sudden crash above them, as if something were moving in a vent.

They had little time to consider this, however, as the orb suddenly lit up and bright light poured into the room. With a quick flicker of illusionary light as it poured into the surrounding walls, the room in which they stood seemed to coalesce into a blind plane, now little more than a large, grey chamber, the walls and floors almost totally featureless.

“It’s showing us something,” whispered Peridot.

“Yeah, no kiddin’, ‘Dot,” said Amethyst.

Lapis turned to Stevonnie, only to find them staring up, their face a deathly pale. Slowly, she followed their gaze up - the moment she saw it, she felt her proverbial stomach drop straight through the floor.

“Hello, Starlight.”

White Diamond towered above them, her arms outstretched, her face set into an easy smile. Lapis couldn’t help but shudder - she’d seen her in a dream, many, many years ago, but to see her in person… it was like inhaling poison instead of steady atmosphere, a raw, cataclysmic sense of bone-chilling terror clamped down hard on the column of her throat. It was a noose pulled taut, and she was standing on the edge, prepared to fall forward.  

“Are you enjoying our little game?” asked White Diamond, “I hear you’re having so much fun. Oh, and I’ve heard about your little… shall we say _association_ with the Lapis Lazuli?”

Lapis felt her cheeks burn.

“Completely out of line, of course, we’ll have to fix that at some point,” White continued, “Oh, and all the _heartbreak_ you’ve caused Blue and Yellow - they still think you were shattered!”

“What do you want?”

Stevonnie’s voice was uncharacteristically harsh.

“From you? Nothing,” replied White, “I was hoping to gather some of your little scavengers and pirates - getting _you_ is just a nice bonus. And in any case, fighting a diamond will be an excellent shakedown for my new weapon.”

“New weapon?” demanded Amethyst, “What, another of your _corpse drones?!_ ”

White didn’t even seem to have heard her, instead keeping her focus on Stevonnie.

“Now, Starlight, I’d like you to give a warm welcome to _Chrysalis._ ”

There was a reverberating clang, the shrill cry of metal on metal, and a vent subsequently tumbled down from the roof. A figure immediately leapt down, landing with a hollow _clank_ on the hard floor.

The figure’s metal body was luminous beneath the harsh white light. It was short and humanoid - it had two legs; white thighs and feet and black shins. A yellow diamond was emblazoned on it’s white-painted chest, contrasted against a black torso. It had two arms, resembling limb enhancers; these too were black and white, black on top and white at the bottom, but the left arm, just below the shoulder, was broken by what appeared to be pale human flesh. A pair of black poles, almost like antenna, emerged from light blonde hair.

It lifted it’s head, and Lapis saw its face. Glowing eyes shone behind a yellow tinted visor, the only hint of artificiality to what was otherwise an entirely _human_ face. She heard Stevonnie and Jenny gasp.

“Oh no,” whispered Stevonnie.

“What did you do to her?” demanded Jenny.

Lars stepped forward, visibly shaking. All of the bravado he affected in his captain’s persona had faded - he looked deeply vulnerable. Quietly, with a croaking voice, he finally spoke up.

“S… Suh… _Sadie?_ ”

Sadie narrowed her eyes.

“ **There is no Sadie,** ” she replied, her voice underlined by a mechanical reverb, “ **I am Project Chrysalis.** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi chrysalis i'm dad
> 
> This is another one of those 'I've waited ages to reveal this' scenes - I'm really pleased to finally show you all what the Diamonds did to Sadie! I'm sure Lars is thrilled too; I haven't asked him.
> 
> EDIT: Ooh, before I forget, a very lovely individual has made a TV Tropes page for this fic! [You can find it here, and I'm sure you can feel free to edit it as you wish.](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/MaroonedTogether) Thanks very much, kind stranger!


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been two weeks, but now it's back to work!
> 
> Special thanks as always to my good friend [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. Read her stuff! DO IT NOW. DO IT.

**Chapter Forty-Three**

Lars stared, his complexion blanched. His face was a white-pink colour that might have been funny to Stevonnie, were the situation not so completely _un_ funny. They were now in a standoff - Sadie on one side of the room (you might say in one corner, except the room, was circular), the two allied crews on the other. The Home Guard, out of instinct more than anything, had positioned themselves just ahead of the rest of the group, ready to fire at a moment’s notice - yet their hands shook, and they looked as ill-at-ease as everybody else, save the emotionless Sadie.

Above them, White Diamond smiled, almost pleasantly, and clapped her hands together. The sound was sharp, like claps of thunder, and it was enough to raise the hairs on the back of Stevonnie’s neck.

“Isn’t this _much_ better, Starlight?” she asked, "Your little Earth creatures have proven useful in some of our most recent experiments. Why don't you come home? I think it would do wonders for you to look over the results of your influence.

"And, of course," she paused, smile tilting up at the corners. "There is always more to learn. Perhaps you might even like to pursue some experiments of your own, once we get your gem out of that little shell."

“You…” Jenny took a deep breath, “You evil _bi-_ ”

"Now, shall we go, Starlight?" White Diamond interrupted, no indication that she'd even heard Jenny speak. "This has been going on for quite long enough, I think."

“Enough of this!” snapped the lead Home Guard, “Jameson, Orange; take it down!”

“Wait, _no!_ ” exclaimed Lars.

It was too late - the Home Guards were already raising their weapons. For the briefest of moments, Sadie stared them down.

They never got the chance to fire.

Sadie went for the leader first - a red beam from her limb enhancers struck him, and for a moment he seemed almost to _blur._ Then he was indistinct, a vapour of steam that quickly evaporated, leaving nothing but a faint _burnt_ smell.

“Holy _shit_ -”

Sadie quickly swung round, firing on Jameson - just as quickly, he was vaporized, leaving Orange alone. She stepped back, dropping her weapon and throwing her arms up.

It wasn’t enough. A third beam - yellow this time - shot from Sadie’s arms, wrapping the unfortunate pearl in yellow electricity. She screamed for about a second; then, with a puff of smoke, her form was gone, her gem falling to the ground with a clatter.

Jenny stepped forward, arm outstretched, aiming to pick up Orange’s gem - before she could, there was another red light, and the gemstone turned into another small cloud of steam.

Sadie drew back her arm, her face completely devoid of emotion.

“ **Targets eliminated.** ”

Stevonnie glanced at Lars - the pirate captain looked like he was about to vomit.

“Chrysalis, do what you want to the rest of them, but bring Pink Diamond and the Lapis Lazuli to me.” White Diamond smiled, a simple look of contentment stretching across her pitch black lips.

“I’ll be seeing you very soon, Starlight.”

Her form flickered and the surrounding details of the  chamber melted into the air, leaving them back in the featureless, dark room.

Sadie raised her arms again. “ **Yes, my Diamond.”**

“Sadie, no!”

Lars ran forward, slamming his hand down on her shoulder and kneeling.

“Lars, stop!” the Rutiles exclaimed.

“Get back, captain!” shouted Jasper.

“C’mon, don’t be an idiot!” snapped Amethyst.

Lars ignored them, looking into Sadie’s glowing eyes.

“Please, Sadie, this isn’t you!” he said, “They’ve… they’ve done something to you, but you’re still my friend! You’re still Sadie Killer, you’re… you’re still Player Two! I’ve been waiting decades to see you again, I… please, come back!”

For a moment, Sadie’s posture seemed to loosen.

“...Lars?” her voice was distorted, but recognisably hers.

“Yeah!” Lars replied, “Lars! Remember me? Please, you’ve gotta fight it…”

Sadie blinked.

When her eyes opened, they were glowing once more.

“ **No.** ”

The fingers at the end of her right limp enhancer warped, shifting into a long, holographic, hard-light blade. Before Lars could react, it swung upwards into his upper left arm, slicing through it like a hot knife through butter. The action was swift enough that Lars didn’t even seem to register that it had happened, still gazing into Sadie’s eyes.

The pain was just starting to strike him when Sadie acted again, swinging her left fist into his stomach and sending him flying across the room, slamming hard against the wall. His arm flopped almost pathetically to the ground next to him, and his head slumped onto his shoulder - he was out cold.

“ _Lars!_ ” exclaimed Stevonnie.

“Lars, don’t go near her!” exclaimed Padparadscha, “She’s going to cut off your arm!”

Sadie stepped forward, her arm charging with red energy. She stopped under the orb, lifting her limb up to finish off the space pirate.

_Boom!_

Overhead, a sudden fissure ran the length of orb’s hemisphere, splintered outwards in a series of spider-webbing fractures. With the faultline came a cacophonous din of metal and debris splintering, a hail of car-sized fragments crashing towards the earth. Sadie was effectively buried beneath the fallout, and when Stevonnie glanced to their right, they saw  Jenny,  a smoking ray gun in hand, still pointed up where the orb had been. She grimaced and holstered the weapon.

“We gotta get outta here,” she said bluntly.

“But Sadie-”

“We can figure out how to help her later, ‘Von,” interrupted Jenny, “But if we hang around, we’re dead.”

Jasper scooped up Lars and nodded.

“Get back to your ship,” she said, “We’ll get back to ours and meet at New Earth.”

“Got it,” nodded Lapis, “Hold on.”

“Hold on to wha-”

Peridot was cut off as Lapis yanked her by the collar, wings emerging from her gem - the green gem had enough time to grab Amethyst before they were being whisked off down the corridor. Stevonnie, for their part, had managed to grab hold of Jenny as Lapis took them under her arm.

They looked backwards as they soared away - the orb chamber had already vanished into the distance, but the fusion could have sworn they still saw glowing yellow eyes in the darkness…

* * *

More and more, Stevonnie was finding that they hated hospitals.

Ceara, the new Ruby head doctor who had replaced Doctor West, was cleaning up Lars’ bandages. The space pirate stared at the roof from his position in the bed, his face set in an unreadable frown. The metallic stench of blood still filled the air, mixed uncomfortably with the faint smell of rubbing alcohol. His skin seemed to shimmer slightly under the harsh ward light.

Stevonnie and Lapis sat on one side of him, Jasper on the other. The bigger gem seemed to stare at absolutely everything except the captain - or more specifically, the captain’s stump.

“Okay, I’ll send a nurse to change them again after you’ve slept,” said Ceara, “We’re talking to Lenny and Bismuth about getting you a prosthetic but that might take a few days. In the meantime, you gotta rest.”

“Mm-hmm,” muttered Lars.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Ceara nodded, “Visiting hours close in fifteen minutes, so you three are gonna have to skedaddle soon. I’ll be back to make sure you’re gone - goodnight.”

She turned and walked out the door, leaving them all alone.

Lars sighed.

“I told you, y’know,” said Jasper quietly, “After what they’ve done to her… the Sadie you knew is dead.”

“Gee, nice bedside manner there, J,” grunted Lars, “Besides, I got through to her - just for a second. She’s still in there. She just can’t break out.”

Jasper pursed her lips.

“Then she’d be _better off_ dead,” she said, standing and moving towards the door.

“I’ll be on the ship,” she said, “Need to punch somethin’.”

“Yeah, I’d join you, but…” Lars raised his stump.

Jasper grunted and walked away.

Lars lay back, blowing out air.

“She’s taking it hard,” he said.

“How can you tell?” asked Lapis dryly, “Isn’t she always like this?”

“Yeah, but she’s slightly _blunter._ ”

He turned to Stevonnie.

“You agree with me, right?” he asked, “That there’s… that she’s…”

“That we can save her?”

Lars nodded.

“I just… I can’t lose her,” he muttered, “Not now that I know she’s still here. But… but I need _help_ , and…”

“I agree with you.”

Lapis spoke up, rubbing her own arms in a sort of self-hug.

“Lapis?”

“Well, maybe she’s just… _stuck,_ ” she shrugged, “In the … robot equivalent of a mirror or something, trying to get out. Stevon… _Steven_ helped me, so maybe I should be helping her.”

She turned to Stevonnie and smiled, blushing slightly.

“It’s what you’d do, right?”

Stevonnie grinned and put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s what _we’d_ do.”

They turned to Lars, their face set in a determined grimace.

“We’re got your back, Lars.”

“Well,” said Lars, “Put ‘er there.”

He extended his stump.

There was a long, long, _long_ silence.

“It’s a joke, Stevonnie.”

“Right, yeah, okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry about Lars.
> 
> He's 'armless.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks as always to my good friend [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. She just posted the epilogue to 'star-crossed' and it's now 350k words of Klance goodness.

**Chapter Forty-Four**

Lapis woke up to find the bed surprisingly empty.

She sat up, gazing drowsily towards the barn door. Stevonnie sat there, gazing out into the darkness, beneath an ocean of dark sky and twinkling stars, alight with the faint glow of the dim green moons. Their shoulders were hunched, and she could hear their breaths in the still midnight air.

“Stevonnie?” she asked, “Honey?”

Stevonnie didn’t reply. Their head bowed down, eyes covered by their hand. It was clear that they had been crying.

It had been six weeks since the trap - since they’d first encountered Chrysalis. Lars had spent the whole time convalescing, getting used to his new arm, and the _Sun Incinerator_ still sat in its berth at the New Earth docks. Everything seemed to be in a strange form of stasis - they were in crisis, but nothing was actually _happening._ Lenny and the peridots hadn’t been able to track Sadie, and even if they could, the Home Guard were being understandably cagey about whether they’d help capture her. Everyone seemed to be in this enormous _funk_ , even as Stevonnie tried to keep them positive.

Lapis supposed they’d reached their limit.

Slowly, she walked over, sitting down next to them and gently pulling them into her shoulder. She hugged them as they cried, almost silently, rubbing their back and gently rocking them.

Eventually, the quiet sobs ceased, and they pulled themself out of Lapis’ chest.

“Sorry,” they said, “I’m a mess tonight.”

“It’s okay,” replied Lapis, “I’m a mess every night.”

Stevonnie giggled, shaking their head.

“No you’re not,” they replied.

They glanced back out at the stars.

“I saw them,” they said, “In my dreams.”

“Who?” asked Lapis.

“Mom and Dads,” replied Stevonnie, “And Pearl.”

They inhaled sharply through their nose.

“It’s been so long, Lapis,” they said. “Why does it still hurt?”

Lapis pulled them back into a hug.

“It’s okay,” she said softly, “Some things… don’t stop hurting. But it’s okay, because I’m here.”

She glanced out at the distant, faint shape of the two moons.

“We’re here together…”

* * *

“I-I-I-It’s a long shot,” said Lenny, “Buh-but I think I… I think I have something.”

Stevonnie, Lapis, Lars and Jenny were gathered in Lenny’s modest apartment. It wasn’t much - a living room and kitchenette, and a single bedroom with a double bed (the fact that it just happened to be big enough for a peridot and a jasper went unsaid.) Lenny sat on a small, holographic computer on the table, tapping at the keyboard.

“Th-this was actually Carl’s idea, she brought it up while we were sn- _snuh_ … hanging out,” explained Lenny, “There may be a light r-residue in-in Lars’ wound.”

“Light residue of what?” asked Lars.

He gazed down at his new arm - a standard limb-enhancer-like appendage, painted in purple. He’d insisted on painting flames on the end to make it ‘look sharper’ - Stevonnie guessed it was a touch of goofiness designed to take the edge off things.

“No, a _light_ residue,” corrected Lenny, “I… gem weapons are the same as gems, m-made of hard light. But-but each weapon has it’s own… it’s own signature and if there’s any r-res-residue on your wound, I might be able to...”

“...trace it back to Sadie,” nodded Lars, “So what’re we waiting for?”

Jenny wrinkled her nose.

“Politics.”

“The Home… the Home Guard won’t help,” said Lenny, “They say th-the last mission proved they… they…”

“They weren’t ready,” sighed Stevonnie, “What about Amethyst?”

“The _Crystal Avenger_ left on a raid yesterday,” replied Jenny, “Won’t be back for a few weeks. We can wait on them…”

“We’ve got the _Sun Incinerator_ ,” snapped Lars, “That’s enough.”

“Are you sure?” asked Lapis, “Maybe we shouldn’t rush…”

“A-a-actually, I’m inclined to agree with Lars,” admitted Lenny, “If there’s any… any residue I’ll need all of it to-to do the scan, and once that’s done we-we’ll only have a small window to a-act. A-and if we w-wait, the residue could fade - we’re p-pushing the timetable as it is…”

“So we either go _now_ ,” replied Jenny, “Or we don’t go at _all._ ”

“Shoot,” grunted Stevonnie, “What about Garnet and Bismuth? Are they on New Earth at the moment?”

“Last I checked, yeah,” nodded Jenny.

“Great, they can come,” said Stevonnie, “And with Lars’ crew, we’ll have ourselves a pretty good team, I think!”

“When can you do the scan?” asked Lars.

“Right now,” replied Lenny, “I’ll-I’ll set it up on the b-bed. J-Jenny, c-can you call X and C to h-help me?”

“On it,” said Jenny, standing up and heading over to the apartment’s communicator.

“Th-this’ll take a few hours,” said Lenny, “I-if you wanna go to the D-Diamond’s Lament or something…”

“Are you okay with that, Lars?” asked Stevonnie.

Lars’ lips thinned.

“I’m gonna have three Peridots scanning me for three hours in a tiny bedroom,” he replied, “Why would I want you two taking up space too?”

Stevonnie chuckled.

“Point noted.”

* * *

The first thing Lapis noticed on entering the Diamond’s Lament was the absence of Simon, the old bartender. Instead, a young woman with dark blue hair, maybe sixteen, was wiping down the counter - she looked up as they approached her.

“Where’s Simon?” asked Stevonnie, “Is he okay?”

“Grandpa?” replied the barkeep, her accent slightly difficult to trace, “He’s fine, just got a bad back today.”

“He’s your grandpa?” quizzed Stevonnie, “I didn’t know he had kids…”

“Yeah, he likes to keep his family life private,” replied the barkeep, “Doesn’t see it as anyone’s business, y’know? Cath Richardson, by the way.”

“Stevonnie… what is my last name, anyway? Never thought about that?”

“I’ve never heard the name ‘Cath’ before,” mused Lapis.

“What, Cath? Short for Catherine?”

“Usually people go for Kate, don’t they?” asked Stevonnie.

“On _Earth_ , maybe,” shrugged Cath, “But this is _New Earth_. Anyway, what’s your poison?”

After picking out a drink - a dark green, citrusy beverage made from a fruit on a planet neither of them had ever heard of - they found a table and sat down. Lapis took an experimental sip - it wasn’t bad - and then noticed Stevonnie leaning forward, gazing at her with half-lidded eyes and a small smile.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Your eyes,” replied Stevonnie.

“Wh-what’s wrong with them?”

Stevonnie’s smile widened.

“They’re pretty.”

Lapis snorted and laughed, hand on her forehead.

“You’re a goof, you know that?” she asked.

“Yeah, but I’m _your_ goof.”

They sat back, crossing their arms and staring at the ceiling.

“What _is_ my last name, Lapis?” they asked, “Universe? Maheswaran? Mahesniverse? Univerwaran…”

“I thought it was Lazuli.”

Lapis nearly spat out her drink as Jenny casually slid in next to them.

“Think about it,” Jenny continued teasingly, “ _Stevonnie Lazuli_ \- it’s got a ring to it.”

“But… but Lazuli isn’t a surname,” said Lapis, trying to ignore Stevonnie giggling their cute laugh and failing miserably.

“Who cares?” Jenny shrugged.

Lapis pursed her lips for a moment, then nodded.

“Yeah,” she said, “Good point.”

Jenny chuckled, taking a swig from her drink - it smelled somewhat of vodka - before sighing and staring into the glass.

“When did we get old?” she asked.

“Jenny?”

“That barkeep over there,” she said, “Cath - she’s seventeen. She was _born_ here. She’ll never know what the Earth was like.”

She raised her hands and gazed at them. They were calloused and rough, the result of half a lifetime of scavenging in the stars. In the dim light, the lines on her face seemed to come out like ink on paper, the grey strands shimmering slightly in the light. She seemed almost like a completely different person to the young musician Stevonnie had known on Earth - yet there was still a spark in her eyes.

A spark that, a darker part of them muttered, would someday go out.

“I’m all that’s left, you know,” Jenny continued quietly, “Gunga and Dad, they’re both gone, and I’ve never found out where Kiki went. I keep looking but… it’s been so long. Nearly thirty years…”

“Jenny...” Stevonnie began.

“It’s okay, ‘Vonnie, I did my mourning decades ago,” replied Jenny, “I’m just… thinkin’. Is that an old person thing?”

She ran her hands through her hair, exhaled through her nose and smiled.

“You two hold onto each other, you get me?” she said, “‘Cause what you’ve got is beautiful, and you’re never gonna find it anywhere else.”

“Where did this come from?” asked Lapis.

She bit her lip immediately, perceiving that she’d said something wrong, but Jenny just laughed.

“It’s all good, Lapis, I wanna get this off my chest,” she said. “It’s just… seeing Sadie again, I… and I _know_ , she and Lars were always the main event, and I didn’t… I didn’t want to…”

She sat back, crossing her arms.

“Too late now,” she admitted to herself, “Too late now. Just… I’m glad you too took that chance, that you didn’t just… bottle it up and… sorry, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what might’ve been, you know? Just… you guys are lucky, you know that, and-”

She was cut off as Stevonnie leaned over the table, pulling their friend into a hug.

* * *

“That can’t be right…”

X gazed at the printed scan results, his face twisting into a confused grimace. With the three Peridots, Lars, Jenny, Lapis and Stevonnie, and Carl all crowded together in the small apartment, things had become _decidedly snug_ \- Lapis felt Carl’s elbow brush hers and pulled it away, pointedly rubbing the point of impact.

“What is it?” asked Lars.

“The only habitable planet in the scan’s range is Epsilon 3-5 Omega,” replied X, “But that’s been abandoned for _eons_.”

“Epsilon 3-5 Omega?” repeated C, “Whoa, no kidding!”

“That’s… that’s troubling,” muttered Lenny.

“Uh, anyone mind explaining the joke to us?” asked Jenny.

“Epsilon 3-9,” said Lapis, “I… I think I’ve heard of that before…”

“You would have,” nodded X, “Epsilon 3-5 Omega’s a big myth on Homeworld. All we know is that it was a planet White Diamond colonised and then decommissioned, way back in the earliest days of Homeworld’s expansion. Some gems say it was there before the other Diamonds…”

“Why would they put Sadie there?” asked Lars.

“Maybe it’s convenient?” replied X. “Maybe they can use old facilities there. Maybe it’s a symbol, or a complete coincidence.”

“But… but if we g-go there,” added Lenny, “I-I-It’ll be the f-farthest any expedition f-from New Earth has ever… has _ever_ gone. We’d be going r-right into the… the heart of…”

“...Homeworld’s busiest trade routes,” finished X. “Patrolled by their biggest battleships and their best soldiers. The only ship that could possibly get in and out undetected…”

Lars smirked.

“...is _mine_ ,” he finished.

X nodded, and Lars clapped his hands together. It was sort of nice to see that there was no surge of discomfort on his face when prosthetic met flesh; Stevonnie imagined he must have started to get used to the new limb.

“Well then!” he said, “Dangerous mission to a mysterious world in the middle of Homeworld’s empire, huh? And here I thought this was gonna be complicated…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say, do you like Marooned Together? Well, why not join our brand-new discord, [right here!](https://discord.gg/MccEqy5) It's not only a place to discuss the fic and the MT universe, you can also generally discuss Lapvonnie. Everyone's welcome, just try to keep the atmosphere chill.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks as always to my good friend [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors) for proofreading this. If you aren't reading her stuff, I will hunt you down.

**Chapter Forty-Five**

“Okay, we’re through. Twins, take us out of warp.”

The _Sun Incinerator_ exited warp speed, emerging over a planet. Lars furrowed his brow as he took in the green orb.

It wasn’t especially unusual - mostly earth-like, but with a single enormous continent bisected by rivers, lit by a yellow sun. There were no deserts - it seemed to be largely forest and grassland with the occasional mountain range.

“Huh, just looks like a normal planet,” he muttered. “It’s like finding out that some kind of prophesied secret is in Ohio or something.”

“What’s an Ohio?” asked Left-Rutile.

“Sounds like a greeting,” mused Right-Rutile.

Lars chuckled, pressing a button next to his seat.

“Landing team to the bridge,” he began, “if you’re not up in five, I’ll get Jasper to hunt you down.”

“I’m not your attack dog, Lars,” Jasper snapped from her chair.

“No, but if people _think_ you are, they’ll do what I say.”

“Then I’ll just tell them I’m not.”

“Touche.”

Lars sighed, sitting back in his chair. His smile vanished as he thought about the mission - about his friend, trapped in her own body, perhaps somewhere down below. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old, dog-eared photo - Sadie on stage, an eternity ago.

“I’ll free you, Sadie,” he whispered. “Mark my words, I’ll-”

“Ohio is an Earth state,” blurted Padparadscha.

Lars exhaled through his nose.

“Thanks, Padparadscha.”

* * *

The _Sun Incinerator_ was equipped with two spherical landing pods for the mission. They had been ‘borrowed’ from the Home Guard (Lenny assumed they wouldn’t notice they were missing) and were painted red and blue respectively. Lars commanded the red one - serial number K13-TH - while C piloted the blue - serial number L8-NC3. Both were hurtling through a pink dawn sky, heading to a specific point on the planet.

“So the scans say there’s a building?” asked Bismuth, staring through the screens that allowed Lars to see where he was going, “This just looks like mountains and grass.”

“I-I’m sure of it,” replied Lenny. “There-there’s an intricate s-s-system of t-tunnels under one of these hills. They can’t… they can’t be naturally o-occuring.”

“So it could be a lab,” mused Lars, “where they keep Sadie between missions.”

“Or it could just be a weapons dump.”

All eyes fell on Lapis, who looked back with a practiced degree of indifference.

“We used to have to help the Bismuths carve them out,” shrugged Lapis.

Slowly, Stevonnie put a hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s try to stay positive here, hon,” they said.

“I’m not saying she’s _not_ there!” replied Lapis. “I’m just saying she _might_ live in a dump!”

“You mean like you do?” asked Lars, smirking.

“It’s not a _dump_ , it’s a _barn._ ”

“It can be two things,” Bismuth shrugged.

“Don’t help him, Bismuth,” snapped Lapis.

“ _Blue calling Red.”_ C’s voice crackled through on the comms. “ _I’d hate to interrupt this incredibly mature argument, but I’m picking up something on scan._ ”

“What is it, C?” asked Stevonnie.

“ _I, uh… well, see for yourself._ ”

The pod passed over a rise, and Stevonnie gasped.

At first glance, it appeared to be a mountain, covered in grass, shrubs, rocks and occasional clumps of trees - but the shape was wrong, and there were patches of stark white that had been stained by time and erosion. Cracked pyramids lined the top, and the shapes of broken limbs without hands protruded along the sides. Two enormous, eye-shaped crevices, dotted with bushes and soil, broke the shape of the steep mountainside, and above them was carved the unmistakable shape of a diamond.

This wasn’t a mountain - this was a _temple_ , indescribably ancient, and clearly dedicated to White Diamond.

“Well, someone’s got an ego,” muttered Lars. “Where’s the closest we can land?”

“ _There’s a flat area in front of the temple,_ ” replied X over the comms. “ _I think we can go through the temple itself from there._ ”

“So we’re goin’ in,” Bismuth nodded, her expression grave.

“Yep,” replied Stevonnie, emphasising the ‘p’ sound.

“Y-yeah.” Lenny swallowed hard. “It’s… it’s, uh, g-gonna be an ex-experience, yeah…”

She laughed very, very nervously.

* * *

They travelled inside in something of a circle. Around the outside were Stevonnie, Garnet, Bismuth, Lapis, Jenny and Lars, weapons ready - inside were Lenny, C, X, the Rutiles and Padparadscha. Fluorite, too big for the pods, was watching the _Sun Incinerator_ , and Jasper was guarding the little craft.

The entrance to the temple was so overgrown and weatherbeaten that it appeared more like the mouth of a cave. As Stevonnie stepped into the darkness, they noticed strange lizards on the walls - small, blue and six-legged, with two tails. At first they were everywhere, but as they went deeper and deeper they thinned out, as if they knew there was something terrible deep within this ancient structure. They shivered - it was growing colder as they went along.

Presently they reached an open, circular chamber.

“Yep,” said Lars. “Definitely an ego.”

They were surrounded by four enormous statues of White Diamond, each about thirty feet tall, their arms extended out to their sides, arms bent and hands level with their shoulders. At the end of the chamber was what looked like an elevator shaft, stretching high up to the darkness, and the walls were decorated with elaborate murals of the supreme Diamond and her court - ornately-dressed Sapphires, Rubies and Quartzes, all in perfect formation, Bismuths building great structures and Lapis Lazulis shaping the very world around them. It was a monument to imperial splendour.

“Look at the rock colouration,” mused X, “This is hundreds of thousands of years old…”

“You can tell how old it is by looking at it?” asked Jenny.

“Sure, can’t you?” shrugged C, “It’s, like, beginner Kindergartener stuff.”

“Jenny isn’t a Kindergartener, C,” grunted X.

“She can learn!” replied C. “It’ll take a hundred years, tops!”

“Yeah, I’m really gonna be able to use that stuff when I’m, what, a hundred and sixty?” said Jenny bluntly.

“So what was this used for?” asked Stevonnie.

“It’s a t-temple,” replied Lenny. “I-it has no purpose but… but to _venerate_. It-it’s a propaganda piece, i-i-it’s a…”

She took a deep breath.

“...a _monument._ ”

“So why would Sadie be here?” asked Lars.

Lenny shrugged.

“P-perhaps it’s b-been converted into a l-lab, or a c-command centre,” she replied.

“But if so, why isn’t it guarded?” asked Lapis.

“It _is_ guarded,” replied X, “By _ships_. Guess they never thought we’d slipped past.”

“No, there’ll be something,” said Lars. “Something up _there._ ”

He pointed up into the darkness.

“So… in the head.” nodded C, “ _Definitely_ some symbolism there.”

Garnet crossed her arms.

“Bismuth, Jenny, keep watch here,” she instructed. “The rest of us will climb the shaft - Stevonnie and I can jump, and Lapis can fly, so we’ll be able to get up pretty quickly.”

“And what about me?” asked Lars.

“You’ll ride on my back.”

“Yeah, not unless you buy me dinner first.”

Garnet frowned, and Lars chuckled.

“Lars has a point, though,” said Stevonnie. “We can only carry one person each, _maybe_ two, and we need to bring Lenny at least…”

“You take Lenny,” said Garnet. “Lapis can carry C or X…”

“Me,” snapped X. “If you’ve gotta pick, take someone who’s sensible.”

“X, that’s _rude_ ,” scoffed C.

“True, though,” said X.

“Yeah, probably.”

“Definitely.” X strolled over to Lapis, nodding back at C one more time. “Try not to blow yourself up, huh?”

“Eat silt, X.”

“Eat _silt?_ Really? You’re an idiot, C…”

“Okay, okay!” Bismuth held out her arms, shaking her head. “Let’s just get moving, alright?”

* * *

High above and far away, Peridot 4DT gazed at a screen.

She frowned as she looked up at her companions in the darkened security centre. It wasn’t much more than a small boxy room that had been hastily equipped with computers and scanning equipment, but, as far as the Peridot was concerned, it was enough.

“Aquamarine,” she said, “Scans detect intruders in the foyer. What do we do?”

“What do you mean, _what do we do?!_ ” Aquamarine threw out her arms, “We send somebody to _deal_ with them! Topaz!”

She turned to her bodyguard, ever-vigilant, silent and still as a statue.

“Topaz! Get down there and deal with them!”

Topaz nodded and marched away.

“Hold on,” 4DT held out a hand, “They’ve split up - some of them are coming up the elevator shaft. You might need to get Topaz to split up…”

“ _No need._ ”

The two jumped and turned around (Topaz, for her part, remained still.) At the other side of the lab, obscured in a dark doorway, was a silhouette with two glowing white eyes.

“We’ll send Chrysalis to deal with them,” the figure instructed, “It will be a good test.”

“For Chrysalis?” asked Aquamarine.

“No.”

A ghost of a smile could be seen on the figure’s darkened face.

“For Rose Quartz.”


End file.
